The Washington times., 1929-08-24

THE cost of maintaining play.
grounds Is a problem which most
cities find difficult" Cheney points
cut. Development of Fairgrounds
might naturally be expected of the
school board, which has the duty
of training the children's minds,
and, in some States at least. must
also provide them with physical
education.
"But in no city are school budgets
sufficient to do the playground
work necessary outside. OF school
hours or keep Fairgrounds open in
summer. Hence it Is common prac.
tice for cities to have a separate
playground department for play
activities. !.
Jurisdiction Varies
Sometimes this department is
placed under the park board, some
times under a separate playground
commission. To carry on its work,
the budget of the city council pro.
vtdes as much or more money than
the physical education department
of the school budget.
AS these play activities of both
city department and school depart
ment are for children in the same
neighborhood, it is decidedly un-
economical to provide separate play.
grounds, toilets and field houses
for the city department when school
buildings, toilets and school grounds
already exist.
In recent years a cooperative
plan between the city council and
the school board has been worked
out in considerable number OF
cities. whereby they join together.
each paying half the expense Of a
good superintendent OF Fairgrounds
and physical education combined.
He organizes the physical training
in the schools, during school hours.
and supervises the Fairgrounds out.
side Of school hours and on holidays,
Sundays and vacations throughout
the year.
Nose Effective Use
THUS the most effective use of
the city's large investment in the
school plants is made.
Oakland. Calf, has developed
the most efficient system along this
line in the West, and is probably
the leader in America. More than
SO school Fairgrounds are fenced,
equipped and supervised for play
after school hours, maintained every
day in the year.
Most of the school grounds are
planted with q dense border planta-s
tion about 40 feet wide, in order TO
make Fairgrounds and school
grounds good neighbors to the prop
erty facing them.
s'The school board leases the school
grounds and as much OF the build.
ings, toilets and equipment as is
necessary. to the playground de.
partment for one dollar year and
breakage. The playground depart
ment organizes and manages all
play activities both In schools and
parks, and the park department
takes care of all planting of school
grounds, Fairgrounds and parks,
This is an ideal and most efficient
~.
Location, Distribution
In regard to the location and
distribution Of Fairgrounds, Cheney
says:
There should be an equal opoor-
tunity for every child in the city to
alLend well supervised and equip
ped public playground in his imn1e.
diate neighborhood. Older boys.
girls and adults, also need perna.
nently established place to play
ball, tennis, or find other refreshing
recreation within reasonable distance
of their homes. And, adult play
grounds and recreation areas Of
other sorts need to be provided.
II this equal opportunity for
recreation is to be given to- all, the
city must plan carefully to distrib-
ute the necessary kinds Of play.
grounds and parks. wei over it's
whole area
''It then becomes the duty Of the
various, administration officers to
see that balanced program OF de-
velopment is followed so that no
part Of the present population will
be treated unfairly and that. the
reeds Of growing additional popu.a.
ton are properly looked out for.
Most Convenient CenterS
''As schools are carefully .Dclied
at convenient intervals across the