PARK AND CEMETERY. 
151 
These separate areas may be reduced 
to two by combining the girls’ and chil- 
dren’s playgrounds. If the girls and chil- 
dren do not occupy the same play space, 
but separate areas, they should be divided 
by a line or fence which makes possible 
ready communication, one with the other, in 
order to effect economy in supervision. 
The reason for separate areas is based 
upon the sociological and psychological dif- 
ferences' in play instincts and tendencies 
among boys and girls. The play interests 
of boys and girls are common interests, in 
the main, up to eight', nine or ten years of 
age. But at the age of ten, or a year or 
two earlier, there is a parting of the ways. 
Boys then demand areas and equipment 
apart from girls and “babies,” and girls 
seem unable to work out their play inter- 
ests in a satisfactory manner when little 
boys and girls are “under foot” or not “en- 
tirely out of the way.” 
After the question of areas is settled, 
the next problem for solution is that of a 
satisfactory surface upon which to play and 
work out the various activities common to 
the modern playground. The precise prob- 
lems are these : absence of dust, rapid 
drainage, smoothness, surface pleasing to 
the eye, not too hard and not too soft, free 
of cutting and scratching qualities. A con- 
j vex instead of a concave grade has been 
found to solve the drainage problem. Tor- 
pedo sand upon block or clay loam, when 
sprinkled with water or light oil, has been 
j found to eliminate dust without making 
i mud. Torpedo sand has less scratching and 
cutting qualities than cinder, but supplies 
enough friction to rapidly wear out balls 
and other leather and cloth covered ap- 
paratus common to the average playground. 
| Gullies and pockets in the surface of the 
playground may be eliminated by the use 
of creosoted blocks, hardwood planking or 
i cement when use of apparatus is the cause 
of breaking the surface. The matter of a 
perfectly satisfactory surface for a small 
area extensively used daily by vast numbers 
of children and young people, like the poor, 
is always with us, and will remain with us 
until some park man discovers a good com- 
position formula. Mr. Harry S. Richards, 
superintendent of maintenance, South Park 
Commission, Chicago, has produced what 
seems to me to be the best playground 
surface that has yet been tried. It is espe- 
cially good for tennis courts and small 
areas which must withstand hard and con- 
stant use. Mr. Richards proceeded as fol- 
lows : 
He excavated carefully with reference 
to character of sub-soil in an effort to se- 
cure good drainage. If sub-soil of sticky 
clay was discovered, cinders 12 inches deep 
were first applied to the excavated sur- 
face. If a sandy sub-soil was discovered, 
cinders to the depth of only 4 inches were 
needed. The cinders were then rolled and 
packed. Upon the well rolled cinders was 
placed a layer of stone 2 inches deep, the 
stones measuring from % to 1)4 inches in 
diameter. The stone, like the cinders, was 
then well rolled. Upon the stone was 
placed, to a depth of 1 inch, this mixture : 
Cork (pieces % to % inches 
in diameter) 16%% by weight 
Sand 33%% “ 
Stone (pieces % to % inches 
in diameter) 16%% “ “ 
Asphalt 33%% “ 
1.87 pounds of asphalt was used for 
each square foot. 
1 hese ingredients were thoroughly mixed 
in a mechanical asphalt-mixing plant such 
as is used by road builders. The mixture, 
taken from the mixing plant, was spread 
and raked evenly and then rolled by a hand 
roller weighing between 1,500 and 2,000 
pounds. After the mixture was well rolled 
there was spread over the surface a very 
light covering of sharp sand or crushed 
granite. The light covering of sand or 
granite was soon trampled into the mix- 
ture or brushed off by the feet of those 
who used the playground. The cost of the 
playground surface just described may be 
stated as 60 cents to $1 per square yard, 
exclusive of grading and foundation of 
cinders and stone. The merits of such a 
surface are these : 
It will endure without care for a great 
many years. 
It is perfectly dust and mud proof. 
It may be washed with the hose. 
Less than any other playground surface 
will it skin the knees, cut the hands and in- 
jure the players in their numerous falls 
and “spills.” 
It may be marked readily and permanent- 
ly for games. 
It will not wear out playground balls, 
basket balls, volley balls and similar ap- 
paratus half as rapidly as other playground 
surfaces. 
Having selected our areas, graded and 
surfaced the same, we are now ready to 
select apparatus and play facilities. For 
the children’s play space the following ap- 
paratus is recommended as a useful, safe 
and complete, but not exhaustive list : 
One wading pool, 30 to 50 feet in diam- 
eter. 
One sand bin, not less than 12x20 feet. 
Two athletic slides; six swings attached 
to an iron pipe frame not more than 10 
feet high ; three see-saws mounted upon an 
iron pipe frame not more than 2 feet high ; 
two giant strides; two vertical ladders 7 
feet high, 14 feet apart, and connected at 
the top with a horizontal ladder ; six baby 
swings ; a good supply of balls, bats, nets, 
bean bags and ring toss. This equipment, 
exclusive of wading pool and sand bin, 
should not cost more than $300. 
For the girls’ playground the following 
apparatus is recommended : 
One or two volley ball courts ; two quoit 
pitches; one basket ball set; three balance 
beams; one high jump set; six swings at- 
tached to an iron pipe frame not more than 
12 feet high ; ladders as suggested for the 
children’s play space, but with vertical lad- 
ders 8 feet high; two sets' of traveling 
rings; two giant strides; a cement plat- 
form for dancing, 40x40 feet ; a good sup- 
ply of balls, bats, nets, quoits and jump 
sticks. This equipment, exclusive of ce- 
ment platform, should not cost more than 
$500. 
For the boys’ playground the following 
is recommended : 
Two high jump sets; one pole vault set; 
one shot-put equipment; two broad jump 
lanes and accessories ; three quoit pitches ; 
two giant strides ; six swings attached 
to an iron pipe frame not more than 12 
feet high ; two horizontal bars ; two sets 
of flying rings ; one or two volley ball 
sets ; one or two playground baseball dia- 
monds and accessories; a good supply of 
balls, bats, nets, poles, jump sticks, shots, 
quoits, etc. This equipment should not cost 
more than $350. 
In this connection, let me add that 
there is most interesting disagreement 
among playground experts and advisors 
concerning the use of apparatus in play- 
grounds. Those who have never tried to 
“skin the cat” or “hang by their toes” de- 
cry the value of apparatus, while those 
who have been trained in the schools of 
physical education see great possibilities in 
motor training as well as other virtues, in 
the extensive use of a well selected list of 
apparatus'. The difficulty lies in the fact 
that the subject is too often treated as an 
absolute and not as a relative proposition. 
The question of how much and what kind 
of apparatus relates to size of area, sex, 
age and number of those who use the play- 
ground; landscape and architectural com- 
position features of the playground as a 
whole ; climatic conditions, plan of super- 
vision and management, and the purse of 
the founders and supporters' of the play- 
ground. A diagnosis of these conditions 
by someone who knows much concerning 
all of the factors involved is the only way 
to approach an adequate answer to the 
question. I am convinced that playground 
apparatus is more “sinned against than sin- 
ning,” and that with sufficient funds avail- 
able, ample area and the playground in 
the hands of a trained play leader rather 
than a mere football coach, nurse maid or 
policeman, the thing to do is to install a 
great deal of apparatus. The crux of the 
matter, aside from the relation of the ap- 
paratus to the composition of the play- 
ground as a whole, lies in the knowledge 
and skill of those in charge of the play- 
ground. In other words, playground ap- 
paratus is lightning, steam and flying ma- 
chines, awaiting only Franklins, Watts and 
Wrights to give a demonstration of its 
possibilties. The lists' which I have given 
above are presented as safe lists for av- 
erage conditions and are not intended as 
the solution of particular or special con- 
ditions. To whatever school of thought one 
