Douglas daily dispatch., 1927-07-03
DOUGLAS PARK
FOR CHILDREN
FIRST in STATE
By Miss Marylyn Norton

In the spring of 1923 a recration
board was created in Douglas. The
members of this board included rep
resentativeS from the Y. w. G. A.
and Y M. c.. A., the mayor Of the
city, the superintendent of schools
and Mrs. Rex Rice, who has been
chairman of the board until this
year, when M. E. Jacks became
chairman. Ha
The board was interest in securing
finances for the first playground. 1t
was at that time that they conceived
the idea of putting the city parks
under the water department. because
there were sufficient funds there.
This was brought before the city
council, and they voted it through,
The sum of $500 was appropriated
for the first summers work and the
same amount for every summer since
that time.
Douglas was the first city in Ari-
zona to have supervised playground.
Now the only other city is Phoenix.
g. H. Couch was the first director
of the city playground. The children
were delighted over the fact that
someone was making their spare time
most worth while. During. the first
summer the only help Mr.. Couch
had was volunteer help.
The following summer Miss Marylyn
Norton was elected by the board OF
recreation as director of the play
ground and Gates Foss as the assist
ant. The attendance for the sum-
mer was very good.
The a summer of 1925, Robert
Thomas was elected director of the
playground, taking charge of the
boys, and Miss Marylyn Norton TAX
ing charge of the girls. Mr.. Thomas
resigned in July and Miss Norton
took over the dictatorship Mr.
Thomas did an excellent piece of work
in interesting SO many of the older
boys.
Miss Norton was again elected to
the directorship of the playground in
the summer of 1926, with Albert Rum
kle as assistant. During the summer
of 1926 the work was carried to the
Second street school playground twice
week. Due to lack o fmaterial, the
only activities we could offer there
were games and story telling. Mrs
Harry Churchyard conducted the ex-
cellent story hour twice a week as
we'll as the playground.
A little different plan is being tried
this summer The playground will be
open for two months only. Miss
! Norton being in charge of the play
ground and Miss frances Bennett
assisting. Glenn Penny has charge
OF the baseball and is conducting a
most successful league.
Among the activities are story tell
ing, dramatics, folk dancing, singing
games, active games, quiet games
bean bag tournaments, baseball, ham
dicraft and sewing for the girls. There
are also special days in which 9TH
letic programs are planned for the
children.
Mrs. Harry Churchyard has beer
very active in story telling at the
playground and has helped to bring
children to the playground. This sum.
mer she is out of the city and Mis-
Norton, wit hthe assistance of Jennie
Welcome and Lois Brandham, is car
rying on the work.
Mrs Carl Cole interested the chill
/ dren in dramatic work and has helped
build this work. The children ar
eager to take part in the weekly pla.
as we'll as eager onlookers.
Each year different activities ar
added to the work of the playground
The attendance is EXCEPTIONAL.
! good this year and we are convincet
we are reaching the boy and girl VIII
has no desirable play space at home
We are giving the boys and girls 0
Douglas something to do and thin
about.
Mrs Hirst's investigation showe
no juvenile delinquent has ever beel
a boy or girl who has attended tn
playground.