The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1951-06-23
Almost 500 School Children
In Reereational Program
IS Percent
Larger
attendance
Than In so
by SUSAN Nc AvoY

Almost 500 Key West
school children are spend
ing these summer days in a
supervised recreation pro
gram which makes full use
of Key West elementary
and high schools, according
to Winston Jones, director
OF the program. This is Is
percent larger attendance
than last year when about
800 children took part in
the program.
Yesterday l saw six year olds
modelling cats, ducks and beats
out of soap. Sixteen year old boys
played Softbali, tennis and basket
ball.
The three schools and Bayview
Park are, being used from to 5
every day TO provide a place for
school children while their moth
ers work or simply try 20 get
little vacation.
Six recreation directors lead
the children in the nine to five
program which includes two aft
ernoons at the Seaplane Base
Pool. three afternoons al tise
County Beach, and spery morning
packed with constructive ACTIVITY
A janitor at tbs Poinciana school
said to me as walked through
the groups Of happy. busy child
rem; This IS one OF The great
est things the schools have ever
done keeping open for the kids
There's no telling where these
kids would be now Il they didn't
have the SCHOOLS to come to.
A EeW minutes later saw nslisf
the kids who are not in the sup.
ervise6 recreation program Dr.
Two little girls we're climbing the
fence out at Wickers Field. Sud
denly they darted in front OF
car. BY a hairIine they missed
being hit, Further into town I
saw children sitting bored and
listless on their front porches.
Written on their faces was
What can we do now to fiji
this long day?"
Meanwhile Win Jones' dvove
me 10 Harris. Elementary school,
where about 100 children are in
the program.
On the front lawn youngsters
were lined up fer beanbag
game. Bursting with excitement,
and completely absorbed theg
balanced the bean bags on their
heads and walked swiftly 70 the
goal. Recreation leader Mrs, Lee
Cooper, looked as happy sss her
charges. Inside Harris. a group Of
girls and boys were busy clean
ing up the soap shavings the re-
suits of a morning of soap model
ling.
Back outside again-tllc boys
shouted with excitement in their
morning soft bali game They
learned some tips on the game
from recreation leader Harold
Haskins
As we pulled alongside the curb
at Bayview Park, noticed q little
boy sitting there with huge
brown paper bag.
Here il is only II O'Clock
LAUGHED Win. @and this child is az
ready waiting to 60 on the beach
picnic at ! o'clock. That huge bag
lis the mountain OF food he's
bringing along with him
More than 100 children went %
the beach picnic in the school
athletic buses. They ate, swan
and played from | TO 4 p. m.
George Hoff supervised the old
er children at Bayview Park in
program Of shuffleboard. soft ball
and other games.
Mrs. Mary Degtoff was sitting
under shady tree with a, group
of girls ranging from II to is or
is. They had just finished . busy
morning with charcoal drawings.
sewing bean bags and tennis.
City Recreation Director Paul
Albury directs the Bayview Park
part Of the program also Win
Jones has charge Of all the pro
grams but concentrates on boys
sports at Key West High school.
There they are practieiEg ootbail
an hour day. The age range of
the football players is Is to 10.
Checkers. reading. relay races.
ali these activities make a day
meaningful to city youngsters who