Evening star., 1933-05-07
FREE RECREATION
FOR ]OBLESS URGED
Col. Grant, In Radio Talk,
Stresses Need Of Outdoor
Education.

Provision Of ample free recreation
facilities for unemployed men and
women, as well as for children, was
urged last night by Lieut. Col U. S,
Grant, Sd, director Of public buildings
and public parks, IN . radio address.
Speaking under auspices Of the National
Capital Civic Fund, Col. Grant asked
his hearers to join in q movement to
make sure that there shall be ample
opportunity for every one Of US, even
the most unfortunate, who lacks the
price of commercialixed entertainment,
to find the particular kind Of recrea-
ton needed" The talk was the first
Of series on various phases Of the
same subject, the, others being sched-
uled for May IS and May 90.
With approximately 10000 unem-
ployed In Washington, Col. Grant
pointed out. free or very cheap public
recreation out Of doors" Is essential
Calvin Coolidge Quoted.
He quoted the late Calvin Coolidge,
who. as President, said:
THE present century has seen tre-
mendously vital development in the
openingsup of small parks In congested
centers, the laying out Of Fairgrounds
for children, the building Of community
centers to minister to the normal social
life of the young folks and the estab-
liShment of athletic and recreation
fields for the general public.
It is becoming better and better under
stood that a sound body, an informed
mind, normal social contacts and that
contentment which comes from oppor-
turity for a broader self-expression.
are all vital factors in the preservation
of our national existence"
How much more essential such
recreation facilities are today!" said
Col. Grant. Recognition OF the need
for outdoor play for children Is one OF
the enlightenments Of today. Lewis E.
Lawes, warden Of Sing Sing Prison,
speaking from long experience WIN
those who have succumbed to bad IN
tincts and evil conditions, said:
children must play and Will play,
and their play activities may be con-
structive or destructive. Largely because
of lack of spacious Fairgrounds, chill
dren in the city streets take to petty
gambling, which leads to petty thleVery
and. sometimes, to the electric chair.
= . It avails nothing TO decry the
pool room, public dance hall and gang
hangouts if something Is not provided
to properly direct lnneIeut Impulses.
Views Shared BY Many.
Similar statements have been made
BY numerous other men and women
VINO have had close contact with de-
linouent youth, said Col. Grant. add
ing volumes would not hold the pleas
= to furnish more adequate out
door recreation and that touch OF
nature which makes all men kin for
the children and adolesce,tS OF our
cities, as q counter foil to bad COM
pany and the temptations Of vicious
surroundings" He also quoted FORMER
President Hoover:
"Some Of the natural advantages OF
the country child must somehow be
given back to the city child-more space
and natural processes. OF these, the
thoughtlesS city cheats its children.
Architectural wizardry and artistic skill
are Transforming our cities into wonder
lands of beauty. but we must also pre-
serve in them for our children the yet
more beautiful art of living"
But it is not the children alone who
need healthy outdoor recreation, Col.
Grant pointed out Since the depres-
sion" he said, parks and municipal
recreation facilities everywhere are
crowded as never before. They are not
only places of rest for the weary now;
they are places Of escape from worry
and dark oppressive care. It may have
been, as Stuart Chase said, that 'recrea-
ton may be defined as creating again
in play the balance that has been lost
in work but today there are a thousand
more insidious forces than work which
are upsetting our balance.
Three quarters of century ago
Walt Whitman warned us: - You
are in a fair way to create whole
Nation of lunatics.' Doubtless, he over
drew the picture with poetic license.
even though, just the other day, Psychi-
artist Desloges gave 1t as his opinion
that by 194S the whole world will be
mentally deranged, unless some change
occurs in the trend Of mental hygiene" p"