36 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



want to develop at least the iiiasculine elemeut sufticieutly to take care 

 of the elements of destruction that are going on in our midst. 



The evolution of the playground movement has been rapid within the 

 last ten years. It Avill be more rapid in the next ten, twenty or thirty 

 years, especially as the centers of- population become more congested and 

 there is seen the crying demand for an outlet for the exuberance of spir- 

 its which is the accompaniment of childhood growth. It is emphasized 

 AA'hen these congested centers begin to grate upon the nerves of the peo- 

 l)le who are responsible for child life and its environments. Those Avho 

 are interested in the moral development of boys and girls in the cities 

 and who regard it as vital that these boys and girls sball grow up to 

 the best kind of citizens, recognize that they have been wrong; they have 

 been wicked ; they have been senseless in connection with the removal of 

 all open spaces where the children had a chance to play and covering 

 them- with Avood and brick and stone until the children have no place to 

 go for recreation exce}>t in the streets; then the policemen, in the inter- 

 ests of ])reserving life, drive them from this last resort. I think it is only 

 a question of a few years at most when at any expense we shall have 

 playgrounds established in the congested neighborhoods of every city 

 so that the children will have a chance to play. 



Bear with me in a simple illustration from my own city, which I will 

 briefly relate as an incident showing our great and immediate need : 

 There is a little region on the west side of our river in Grand Rapids 

 that furnishes the largest number of delinquents in our Juvenile Court. 

 One day the Judge was faced l)y twenty-three boys for committing van- 

 dalism in connection with the right of way of the Grand Rapids & 

 Indiana Railroad. The Judge was astonished to see that bunch of boys. 

 For the most part they were very decent looking chaps. As soon as he 

 took in the situation he dismissed the officer, then he closed the door and 

 said, "Roys, we are all alone here now, and I want you to tell me what 

 is the matter. Wliat are you twenty-three boys here before me for? You 

 have certainly committed the crime with which you are charged — there 

 is no question about that for I have the evidence. I know the facts and 

 I know your names. Now, why did you do it? Come, be frank now and 

 tell me the honest truth about the matter." Then one after another of 

 those boys stepped forward and began to talk. ''Judge, you see we hain't 

 got no i)lace to play. If Ave go to play in one place, then the cop drives 

 us off, and finally Ave got out and went where Ave Avere bein' watched in 

 our play, because it's fun to take soine chances^ — fun to see the cops run 

 after us and we get aAvay and hide from him. And then you knoAv, 

 Judge, AAhen we scoofed aAvay Ave found a box car and Ave got into it, 

 and Avhen Ave Avere in that box car Ave saAV something that interested us 

 and we just looked into it and it Avas something Ave liked and,. Judge, Ave 

 took it; that's all there is of it." 



''Boys, if Ave Avill furnish you a playground Avill you try to be decent 

 and clean up and be good?" And they Avere all ready to make the prom- 

 ise. "Well," said the Judge, "avc Avill see AA^hat we can do," and without 

 saying more he dismissed the boys and asked them upon their honor to 

 come back on a cerfain day and hour. In the meantime the Judge scur- 

 ried around to see if there Avas not some place Avhich could be secured as 

 a playground for these youngsters, and he found it. Then Avhen the boys 

 came back to see him at the appointed time he AvasJ ready for them and 



