730 PARKS 



of the superintendent of parks, in which permit shall be designated the 

 place where it is to be held. Picnics permitted for Sunday and secular 

 schools must always be accompanied by their respective teachers and 

 masters, who will be held personally responsible for all infringements by 

 the scholars of these rules and regulations. No person shall intrude him 

 or herself upon a picnic without consent of those in charge of it, nor disturb 

 the peace and quiet of any picnic or person attending the same, within 

 any park. Parties holding picnics in the said parks must clean up the 

 grounds that have been occupied by them, on quitting them, and remove all 

 paper and litter." 



Dancing. 



A few park departments have felt it necessary to provide opportunity 

 for social dancing. Mention has been made in Chapter V of the dance 

 platform provided in Hartford. In other cities, field houses and community 

 centers are frequently used for municipal dances. These dances are care- 

 fully safeguarded through proper supervisory methods which include chap- 

 eronage, insistence on proper dancing position, the exclusion of young 

 people under a certain age, usually eighteen, and the enforcement of regu- 

 lations against smoking and drinking. The kind of music provided is par- 

 ticularly important, affecting more than any one element the conduct of 

 dancers. While it must necessarily be lively and spirited, and the rapid 

 syncopated rhythm in use at the present time is generally approved in its 

 best form for social dancing, the blatant dance music consisting of noise 

 without melody is denounced by all who are concerned about decent dancing. 

 There should be a careful selection of the type of music before the dance 

 begins and only approved orchestras should be engaged. The combination 

 of instruments recommended for dances is as follows: Three pieces --violin, 

 piano and clarinet; four pieces violin, piano, clarinet or cornet and cello; 

 five pieces violin, piano, clarinet (or cornet), cello and trombone or 

 drums; seven pieces violin, piano, clarinet, cello, trombone and drums. 



Constructive Play. 



The interest of children and adults in making things useful and beau- 

 tiful has led to a tremendous development in the handcraft program, par- 

 ticularly in connection with children's playgrounds. The range of the 

 handcraft program is almost unlimited. A few of the articles which are 

 made on the playgrounds include pushmobiles and coaster wagons, lanterns, 

 kites, bird houses, boats, model airplanes, radios, toys of all kinds, musical 

 instruments, favors and similar articles. Added interest to constructive 

 play is given by the fact that special competitive events center about many 

 of these articles. Pushmobile races, kite flying contests, boat races, Ian- 



