Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-07-01
PUBLIC FAIRGROUNDS
MUNICIPAL ASSET
by Alice l.. Roop

Next Wednesday the city will tnke 4,
charge of the Fairgrounds for tho
summer. but eight of the Fairgrounds
arc already open. From Arbor Dny,
April Z. until Independence Day. eight
n~elghborhood associations have boen
keeping Fairgrounds open and seeing
hat play leaders were provided. This
work was done through tho co-opera-
ton OF Community Service with the
neighborhood associations.
Pine and Madison Fairgrounds have
been open all the ycar. nus fulfilling
the ambition OF Community Service to
have all the year Fairgrounds for VIII
mington boys and girls. Fairgrounds
ut Staplcr, Delamorc. Clayton. Kirk
wood. Coyne and Tatnall have been In
use since April. South Side has just
secured permission to use again the
plot of ground equipped last year back
OF Fire House No. . and opened the
playground this week. Although
Washington Heights neighborhood as
ISOLATION has no playground the chill
dren and older people have partlcl-
pated IN all ne~ighborhOod events under
tho leadership OF two women In the
community, MIS-. Joseph ndFlIto hHu
Mrs. J. a. Wickershsm.
The season opened with Arbor Day
celebrations in all the Fairgrounds.
Tree paintings, appropriate programs.
advice on the care and preservation
OF trees marked these exercises. Every
afternoon after school and every Sat
urday morning thereafter a director
was on the grounds to SEQ that the
children played without quarreling or
getting hurt.
Early in May n May Day celebration
was held at Washington Heights, the
first time that all the Fairgrounds
had Joined to celebrate the old English
holiday. Each playground had its own
May pole and tho dancing was con
Quoted simultaneously to tho music
Of J. Norris ROblnson's band. II was
n col0rful and beautiful sight. In ad-
dition there were singing games and
competitive games.
Many Fairgrounds assisted IN pre-
senting the Pageant Of the brandy
wine on Memorial Day and now ali
, efforts are being directed toward a
|; mammoth Independence Day celebra-
, ton.
In the morning each playground will
have its own celebration. At $50 there
I viii be flag raising exercises with the
children standing IN the position n 2
= hve-pOinted star around the flag pole
- flag drill with tho pledge 81 allegiance
followed by singing and a short talk
This portion Of the program is IN line
Z with the aim Of the Fairgrounds &
r lnstili patriotism.
o From 10 until 1I.30 there Will b
< games and sports for everyone. The
j. children under u will play II SCI
( You Muffin Man" and How d
You Do. My Partner" and hold rela,
races. Girls from II 70 Is Will par
= ticipate in Hop. Skip and Jump,
a shuttle relay. dodge ball, vOlley ball
d; potato race. and 80 yards dash. Will
boys OF the same age will engage il
Il 50 70 100 yard dash. baseball throw
threc-legged race. tug OF wal and re
1. lays. At 1I.30 ribbons Will be pre-
sented 70 the winners and the exer
cises will close with a children's pa
rade.
For the adults the morning wi.
offer intersectional baseball. a tenni
tournament. and a golf tournament q
Porter Reservoir.
ID In the afternoon from 100 to 6 Their
a will be a swimming meet in Brandy
- wine pool. and the senior and IN
junior track meets at Baynard F4el'
l. followed by a picnic supper.
From $50 to 10 o'clock there will /
y a band concert and community SIM
n an address by Brigadier-Gene
Frank $. Dickson, Of Springfield, II
ID a flag drill and fireworks.
re The Fourth Of July celebration
70 but one manifestation Of the splend!
ct spirit of enthusiasm and cooperate
IS manifested by the ne~ighbOrhoOd a.
Or sociations. Every playground has
a record 20 be proud of.
Perhaps the greatest transformatio
has beer wrought at Coyne Play
m ground. This time last year the PLAY
te ground was 4 dump. Now it IS a I'D
ID and attractive play spot. made by II
people OF the neighborhood. Last yea
ir 20 trees were planted which. with the
freshly painted boxes, make a pleasal
bit of shade these torrid days. A ca
nlval last week added 20 the funds 81
cured by the Daughters of 1912 so tn
. new permanent equipment may be s
cured and a building fund starts
for a greatly needed place for neigl
les borhood meetings. Miss Mary Mil
". is in charge there.
KS. Two Fairgrounds provided Their
lis selves with neighborhood centres I'll
n winter. At Madison the old eyesore
a building has been transformed in
~ a clubhouse with good windows al
floors, where meetings may be he
a and games played IN winter or b,
at weather. Everyone in the neighbo
hood worked, helping at bakes, ruT
mage sales. carnivals. May parti,
,0i card parties and drives. Miss Jan
Hardy is director. At Pine an old N
- chine shop on the grounds was tran
formed into a neighborhOod cent
AL where meetings. dances and gam
may be held. Norman Pyle was dire
~ tor until ArbOr Day, when Mrs. Eliz
" beth McNey succeeded him.
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