Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-17

The number of play spaces or play
grounds necessary to meet the needs
Of children of different ages in com
munity is indicated by the statement
that they are just as important as
school buildings, and even more so
Hence the establishment Of play
grounds should march abreast with or
should parallel the establishment OF
reconstruction of school buildings.
An adequate playground for all the
children of the community is an es
sential part of any modern school
plant. For children above school age
facilities In addition to the school play
ground are necessary.
Such are the views of Clark w
Hetherington, professor of physical
education In New York University
The size of the playground, he says
is a more technical problem because
II REQUIRES an understanding of the
needs of children. The old criterion
of Is square feet per child, borrowed
from the slums of London, Is totally
Inadequate. The size or the pay
ground must be considered ana de
termined by it's functions as com
munity play center for all the childreI
of the community in their social play
activities. - .;,r
Moreover, the large amount or time
Naturally consumed in these actlV
tiles to gain development demands q
snace that will accommodate, II pos
sihle. all the children of the school Oh
oonp,nnitv in organized play at one
time. ,..~;,
The scientific method of determin
ing the size of a playground TOT any
given school or community, says Froi
Hetherington, is to reduce the prop
lem to units of space for unit mum
hers of children in speclI1ed activllies
In the spaces. The process Is to dlVlde
tha total number of children OF the
school or any group to be accommo
dated nv the unit number or Gnu
dren OF q unit space and multiply the
results by the unit space. Ihus ioi
an elementary school of 500 the MINI
MN, renuirement would be re acres
hut an ADEQUATE provision would be IL
acres, For a high school of 500 chil
! dren the minimum requirement Woulo
/ he s acres. but an adequate PROVISION
would be 20 acres.
Financial Problem Involved.
ON this basis comparatively re"
citv schools have adequate play
grounds and many schools can never
be SO equipped because OF the mgr
value of the real estate that Woulo
| have to be acquired. There is imam
| cial problem involved and school ano
community budgets will have &c
| change radically. In fact. the nrsl
| essential change is in the viewpoint
of those who make the budgets. a
| higher realization of the need for the
orga nization of children's play actiVl
ties will have to come before proper
budgets can be secured, but 1t IS De
lieyed that with the growing under
standing by parents and teachers OF
| the importance of play. for the deVel
opment. health and character dis
| cipline of children there will be a
public opinion that will bring this
| about.
1t is to be remembered that prac
| tically the whole and sole responslbil
| ity in determining whether chlldrcf
| play as they should lies with the
/ adults of the community. Adults
| must see that proper facilities are
provided and that there are leaders
| to organize and direct the play. Gnu
| dren do not have the financial re
! sources to secure equipment for then
own play. Occasionally group Of
boys manages to get sketchy out
fit for a baseball nine-a ball, bal
and catchers glove-through theil
| own efforts, and then, If they car
find a vacant lot, they are all SCI
for healthful exercise and recreation
But when children's play Is planned
and arranged on anything like com
prehensive basis adults must take
hold Of the work.
The playground as a communit!