The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1924-01-31
WILL GIVE MONEY
FOR PLAYGROUND
Harmon Foundation Offers
Interesting Plan to
Smaller Towns.
UNTIL MARCH |, 1924

An announcement of interest to peo-
pie of Kenosha county, has just peen
made, indicating somewhat the actlYl-
ties of Parent-Teachers ASSOCIATIONS
over this country. This announce
ment follows the interest shown by
MANY such groups, in the establish
ment of play fields and the lead taken
by them in convincing the smaller but
growing cities and towns that the
leisure time Of boys and girls, well
directed furnishes even greater OPP
portunities for inculcation OF hlgA
standards of life than do the hours
in school and that a definite program
aimed to build sound minds IN SOUND
bodies requires definite place, under
definite direction, TO carry 1t into
execution.
Those who realize that we'll estab-
lished play places are just as neces-
sary in moderate sized towns as IN
large cities and that permanent play
sites should be acquired while towns
are vet young, viii welcome the an
nouncement sent from the Division OF
Fairgrounds of the Harmon Founda-
ton. 140 Nassau street, New York,
that help in purchasing play places
will be extended to any parent-teacher
association.
Contributes $1,000.
For limited time the Foundation
offers to make a contribution OF
twenty-five per cent of the purchase
price of land, maximum contribution,
$1,000. This offer is made to any
growing town under $4,000 population
where the Parent-Teacher association
will assume the responsibility of rails
ing seventy-fve per cent of the cost
of the land and will guarantee that
this land will be decided in perpetuity
for play and recreational use only,
and will be developed and maintained
for such use. The Foundation must
be notified in advance of the proposed
plan of the organization, and will then
take up the local situation with the
individual group. This offer expires
March /, 1924 The fund appropriated
for this purpose is limited and appli-
cations for such help will be consid-
sred in order of their receipt.
Additional Proposition.
The Foundation has also carefully
considered the playground need IN
those towns where, for good reasons,
the time is not opportune for raising
money for 4he purchase of land, and
yet the Parent Teachers association is
conscious of the need and is confident
of the outcome once public sentiment
has been aroused. In such communi-
ties the Foundation offers to buy a
piece Of land not exceeding $4,000 in
cost and to lease it without charge to
the local organization for period of
five years, with the option to buy at
cost plus interest at the rate of four
per cent per annum. The land will
thus be held against the probable in
crease in value, and the Parent
Teachers associations guarantee to
develop and maintain real play place
will insure without question its per-
manency, for communities after all
need only real demonstration of the
value o. directed play hours on definite
play places.
The cooperation offered by the
Harmon Foundation opens the way to
unlimited opportunities for the estab-
lishment of permanent recreational
areas. The responsibility of securing
help will without doubt be immedi-
ately assumed by many Parent
Teacher associations in Wisconsin.