The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1921-04-19
FAIRGROUNDS AGAIN

Treating the municipal playground as 4 fad,
more than likely promoted by Instructor" seek
ing positions the Florida Times-U takes what
strikes this paper as an exceedingly illiberal posi-
hon. at least so far as affects the argument for the
establishment of one in this city 1t says:
Fairgrounds are among the modern inventions
for the drilling of children like sheep and pa
rading them for the entertainment OF fey Of
their parents and the officials in charge. Small
places becoming infested with those who seek
the position Of Instructors" are even now talk
ing seriously of establishing special places for
Fairgrounds, just as though the whole town or
city were not playground for youth, The Lake.
land Telegram. Tor instance, is telling that there
more than four thousand Fairgrounds in the
United States. This is very we'll. for their are a
thousand cities in the country where it is abso.
lutely necessary to set apart places for play-in
order TO get the children off the busy streets.
where they nuisance. The Telegram says
that the moral effect is wonderful. and refers to
New York. where Fairgrounds have been estab-
lished in the poorer observation-disclosures is the word
used-and there be no denying the benefit of
these breathing and romping places for children
in that great city.
That Lakeland needs to have great space set
to teach the children how to PLAYS a different
proposition, and not nearly 50 important as the
other just mentioned. II is undoubtedly all right
. for Jacksonville TO have Fairgrounds but there
are many people who recalling their younger
days wonder if this idea of strangng the initia
tive in children is wise. The playground propo.
sition has grown to such importance at least in
the eyes of those who handle public money that
1t costs the taxpayers big round sum-and the
major portion of it seems to be demanded for
employing experts" to teach little girls how to
play little Sally Walker and TO encourage the
boys to shout hello. there" when they see the
director coming
hat argument would keep Fairgrounds from
every oTty--ln tact. 1t is exactly the same argu-
meni which has to be overcome every time one is
established. But applying it directly to Lake.
land, let US see whether there is a necessity even
now or any assurance that the growth Of the town
will produce such necessity
Children must have breathing space and room
IN which to exercise. If they find nothing bet
ter, they congregae on the streets, prowl through
alleys gather on vacant lots where every time
they throw ball they endanger neishborine
window, or they seek the woods, regardless of
the society they encounter The recent tragedy
IN which boys life was destroyed illustrates
exactly the sort of thing which public Fairgrounds
prevent i he temptation 10 seek recreation with
dangerous weapons, and engage in unlawful prac-
tees, is largely removed where there is place in
which their natural inclination for excitement can
be wholesomely gratihed
An instructor Is not a necessity in every case
and very good results can be obtained. simply
by giving young people room to amuse themselves;
but even if such functionary had to be en-
ployed the Telegram ventures the assertion that
public playground with one instructor would
make at least one patroIman unnecessary. thus
transferring that much of the cost of curing to
The cost OF remedying social evil There is no
active movement here now for playground, and
the subject is simply presented in the hope that in
due time 1t will bear fruit. But in spite of the
wisdom of the Times Union this paper firmly