Evening star., 1922-03-28
DISTANCE BARRIER.
|. TO USE
OF Fairgrounds
Large Sites in Most In
stances Are Miles Removed
From Homes.
SEPARATE SPACE URGED
FOR YOUNGER KiDDlES

Accommodations for Mothers and
Tots Should Be Conveniently Lo-
Gated in Every Neighborhood.
r Little boys and girls up to the age
Of seven years In this city are denied
the facilities for adequate and safe
playground space because Of the dis
tance to large Fairgrounds. and.
therefore. must confine their activi-
ties to streets, dangerous from the
heavy vehicular traffic, according to
those who have studied the local sit
small Fairgrounds for these little
children. at the very least. within a
quarter of mile of their homes. 4
Mrs. Susie Root Rhodes. director Of
the municipal Fairgrounds. is In
strong accord with this recommends
tion for the little children. 1t was
pointed out that these little ones
cannot travel far from their homes.
In all districts where yards are not
available for play at every doorstep
there should be many small open
spaces. with benches for mothers and
simple equipment, as sandboxes and
shallow wading pools. The city
should be dotted with these play
spaces.
Experience has shown that the play
space for little children should be
distinct from that for older childrea.
Therefore, it was pointed out, when
the Fairgrounds for school children
are not large enough to provide a
corner for the exclusive use Of little
children additional space or separate
land should be provided.
Guard Against Petty Thefts.
Those who have studied the chill
dren and the Fairgrounds point out
that the little street larcenies, thefts
Of bananas. peanuts. newspapers and
other things that children do without
intent to do wrong are in, many cases
also traceable to the lack Of play
grounds. Further Study of, such cases
as have come before the Juvenile
Court point to the fact that in such
saass n,syoana when the sn offsndsr vas tsksn e
refrained from all mischief
Studies along these lines made aAH
the children's bureau brought out The
statement that shs feststctIstlsot ctti-
dren's play putr upon thu conamukaty
a special obligation to provide spaces
where all children can legally p{Sy
without danger. to themselves Ind
annoyance to others. So long As cl{y
neighborhoods. 1t continued further,
are left barren Of the opportunity Tor
safe and legitimate play. so long wiil
high spirits and ingenuity and the
normal boys desire for activity 10
volve the possibility Of . court Sx-
perience. y, e.
Study Of the local recreation spaces
for children shows that little atten-
tion has been paid in the past to pro-
viding large play spaces surrounding
the. school buildings. Even facilities
around most Of the local high schools
have been found to be insufficient for
the activities of the students Of these
institutions. s.. ~
Considered Makeshifts.
ITO sum DIP his question of school,
yards. while 1t would appear that
the yards should open great possibili-
ties in the way of opportunities for
play says the report Of the result
of the Chfldren's Bureau Study, "as
a matter Of fact. as they now are. they
can be considered only as makeshifts
in an ultimate plan which is to serve
q d
"AIl the high school yards are not
available. and with the exception of
few instances the elementary school
yards are small, and the distribution
Of land about the school buildings is
bad for playground purposes. Fiji
teen thousand square feet. which sur
rounded a school building On three
sides, with a width of no greater
than fifty or one hundred feet q ON
the walls Of the building are value
less for freedom of action. Children
cannot exercise properly under condi-
tions of restraint.
youthful exuberance needs space,
and the schoolyards Of many Of the
school buildings in Washington. par
ticularly the older, are entirely IN
adequate to serve the needs of the
day-school recess, to say nothing OF
free play after school. and Therefore
must be counted out as assets when
tive needs Of the different ages Of
childIen. They give some relief at
present, 1t is true. because Of the
heavy load placed upon the limited
playground facilities as yet provided,
but very many of them are small, un-
playground purposes. Moreover, at
any time portables may usurp what
room there Is or an additional wing
may be constructed 80 that the
amount Of schoolyard space Is variable
from year TO year.
Remedy In New Construction.
"It must be said, in justice to the
school department, however. that the
plans for schoolhouse construction
now under way will remedy many
Of the difhcultiea here brought out in
regard to the schoolyards. as the
aims Of the board Of education are
far-reaching and include tho recog-
milton Of the need for enlarged yard
space. It is impossible. however. to
predict how far the hopes for de-
velopment will be, realized: hence.
the opportunities offered by the
schools must be considered au they
now are" (s
Even with these handicaps the
Investigators expressed the belief
that these Inadequate facilities could
greater advantage than now pre-
walls for the younger children whom
they do attract II they were open and
under supervision during the entire
year. Supervision, 1t was. pointed
out, is most important to the. de-
there 10 no supervision of school
Fairgrounds except for the six weeks
in summer during which the vacation
schools are running, and the surer-
vision provided i'm certain sinstanceS
by the department Of playeroandA :
ORDERED TO WAsHfNGToG. !
Warrant oficer william T. asAcar.
to. this city for duty with the his
toYtcnl' Section ~ thA Army WAS,