The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1941-05-06
WAYS And Means
Group Named
to Act
Budget of $500
Suggested For
Operation

A study OF Ypsilsnti's Community
Recreation prepared by the Com
munity Fund Planning Committee
has been submitted TO city alder
men for consideration. In view OF
proposed meetings with the city
board OF education and other in
terested groups. Mayor Ross X.
Bower named the city ways and
means committee as the contracting
group. The committee includes Al.
dermen Erwin R. Schill. Clarence
Loesell and William A. Jellis.
The Community Fund Planning
Committee report was prepared to
give assistance TO the recreation
commlssi92 in planning budget
which wilr'provide adequate recrea-
ton in Ypsilanti. The scope OF the
study included all of fpsilanti
school district recreational sctivi-
ties from April 1885 to April 1871.
The report was prepared after
study Of probate court records, rec
reation directors records. inter.
views with county agent staff mem
bers and director OF the present
program and study OF surveys
made under the sponsorship OF the
Community Fund in 1889 and the
Board OF Commerce in 1910.
Conclusions drawn by the plan
ming committee were that industry
and other adult groups have pushed
youth gfoups out Of the Central
recreation center where enrolment
OF Ypsilanti High School is 1000
and where there are $50 elementary
school children. The committee
complimented Woodruff and Harriet
recreation centers for their we'll
rounded program OF activities
There was a suggested need for
community sponsored boy and girl
meeting place where soft drinks
could be sold and dancing or roller
skating provided. This need is most
acute, according 10 the committee
report, in Ypsilanti City High
| School and in east side subdivisions
where living conditions are crowd.
ed
Recommendations Of the commit
tee were that the budget be in
creased to provide Tor a full time
recreation director. Another sugges-
ton was for the establishment OF
/ boy and girl meeting places with an
attempt to attract children from
/ low income families.
Budget Suggested -
! Af f,ta L. ~
conduct the program includes $4,000
from the city. 81 900 from the Com
munity Fund and $500 from the
board OF education making a total of
$500. Expenditures proposed are
/ 81 800 for yesr-round director.
$500 for equipment, $500 for skating,
! 81 200 for three winter program
helpers. $500 for four men and $3.50
for five women for the six weeks
summer program making total
expenditure OF $4,000.
The suggested summer program
was proposed to run from July I
/ 10 August %. 1t was assumed that
the schools would allow their rec
| reation leaders TO continue work
through the summer at Harriet.
Central and Prospect. Included in
the park assignments was a boys
instructor at Recreation, Gilbert
and Harriet from | TO and 6 to
$3.50 p m. The swimming assign
ment suggests an instructor for
girls from ] to 4 at the pool and a
general program from to $50 p.
m. at Hillcrest, and a swimming
instructor for boys from TO and
I 10 10 p. M. Adults were TO be in
Guided in the latter program. The
superintendent OF schools had not
been contacted for the use OF the
pool.
Girls Remembered
Girls would have special instruc-
ton in a rotating park program
from 2 to and s TO $3.50 p. m. In.
structors OF dramatics and handi-
craft, music and dancing and girls
sports was suggested.
Activities for the summer pro.
gram include active games OF soft.
bali, baseball, ping pong horse
shoes. volley ball swimming. ten.
mis- and jumping rope. Quiet sctiyi.
ties are checkers, dominoes, fiddle
silk. story telling and card games.
Handicraft includes soap carving
woodwork. clay modelling, bead
work. knitting. sewing and weav-
ing. Special activities include tap
dancing classes, group singing
street dancing. dramatics, talent or
amateur shows, pet shows and doll
shows.
A training course was proposed
for recreation instructors on July !,
2 and 3 covering philosophy OF the
program, relationship to Juvenile