90 
PARK AND CEMETERY. 
CHICAGO PLAY PARKS AND THEIR SERVICE 
Nowhere in the country can the modern 
play parks and the various service features 
identified with them be studied to better 
advantage than in Chicago. The South Park 
system has long been noted among park 
men for the most extensive development 
of the small service parks in the coun- 
try, and within recent years the West Park 
system and the Lincoln Park system of 
the North Side have also made substan- 
tial advances in this direction. 
The latest and in many respects one of 
the most interesting of the play parks of 
the South Park system is Fuller Park, 
which was partly completed and opened 
last summer and is this season practically 
complete in all its facilities. The plan of 
the park and the illustrations of the build- 
ings shown here are typical of the ad- 
mirable arrangements and fine type of struc- 
tures of the South Park system. 
The buildings are of the interesting mon- 
olithic concrete construction utilized in 
most of the play parks of this system. The 
swimming pool is tile lined, and is the 
finest yet installed in any of the small 
parks of the city. The buildings include 
gymnasium, club rooms and assembly 
halls, reading rooms, shower rooms and 
other accommodations, and a branch of the 
public library is maintained. 
A number of large elm trees were pur- 
chased and planted in the gymnasiums for 
shade; the remainder of the planting and 
all other work which is necessary to finally 
complete the park was done this season. 
The park is surrounded by an iron fence 
S J / 2 feet in height and a concrete sidewalk 
8 feet in width. The lighting of the park 
is by means of incandescent lamps in 14- 
inch globes on iron posts 10 feet in height, 
the posts being placed along the walks at 
intervals of about SO feet. The current 
for the lighting is received from the Sani- 
tary District through the Washington Park 
sub-station. 
The administration of this and the other 
small parks that have playgrounds and field 
houses is interestingly described in the an- 
nual report of the commission recently is- 
sued. 
The number and character of people em- 
ployed to attend, instruct and direct in the 
management of a single playground ana 
field house of typical size and equipment 
is as follows: One director (a man), in 
general charge of the activities-of the play- 
ground, gymnasiums, ball field, swimming 
pool, shower baths and all field house 
functions. This man was selected for his 
social qualities, administrative abilities and 
skill in co-operating with or organizing 
groups for social recreation. His hours of 
service were at least eight — six days each 
week — usually from 3 p. m. to 12 p. m. 
The director was required to work Sun- 
days as well as other days. One day in 
seven was given as relief, but was taken 
irregularly and only on days of lightest 
use of the field house. His salary is $125 
per month. 
One playground and gymnasium in- 
structor (man) was in immediate charge 
of the indoor gymnasium during the in- 
door season and the boys’ outdoor gymna- 
sium, running track and ball field during 
the outdoor season. This man is selected 
for his training,, knowledge and skill in all 
forms of gymnastics, plays, games and 
sports of boys and men of all ages. 
One playground and gymnasium in- 
structor (woman) is in immediate charge 
of the indoor gymnasium, the children’s 
playground and the girls’ and women’s 
outdoor gymnasium. This woman is se- 
lected for her training, knowledge and 
skill in all forms of plays, games, gym- 
nastics and dances peculiar to the interests 
of girls and women of all ages. 
Both the man and woman in charge of 
the gymnasium and playgrounds in each 
center are required to be expert in han- 
dling accidents and injuries with approved 
first-aid implements and methods. These 
instructors are required to serve a mini- 
mum of six hours, c ix days each week, in- 
cluding Sunday service. Usually the hours 
of service are from 3 to 10 p. m. 
During the school vacation period the 
instructors are each assigned one assist- 
ant, and with the aid of this assistant the 
playgrounds are operated from 9 a. m. to 
10 p. m., seven days' each week. Instruct- 
ors employed throughout the year are paid 
a salary of $83.33 to $108 per month, ac- 
cording to the number of years in service. 
The assistant instructors, who work onlv 
during the school vacation period, are paid 
$75 per month. 
Two women attendants are assigned to 
the unkeep and care of the dressing quar- 
ters, indoor gymnasiums and bathing fa- 
cilities of the girls’ and women’s division 
of the field house. They also wait upon 
the natrons of the gymnasiums and baths 
in everv way to give help and satisfaction 
in the use of the facilities. The hours of 
service for these women are from 10 a. m. 
to 10 n. m„ including Sunday service. The 
pay is $50 per month. 
