RECREATIVE CENTERS OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA BY BESSIE D. STODDART, Secretary Los Angeles Playground Commission. The "playgrounds" of Los Angeles, although officially bearing that title, are more than the name implies. In reality, they combine the usual playground features with forms of social activity most often found at the settlement house. Hence, "recreative centers" will be found the more fitting term. In September, 1904, a city playground commission was created by ordinance, which directed "That a commission to be known as the Board of Playground Commissioners, composed of five persons, of whom two shall be women and three shall be men, shall be appointed by the Mayor, to have charge of the public playgrounds of the city of Los Angeles. Said commissioners shall serve without compensation." They have authority to appoint a superintendent and other employees. It was thought best to make a special department in which time and attention could be given wholly to studying and developing this new and important function of government, rather than to force the work on some old department as a side issue, where it might be neglected. The rapid growth of the work in spite of small funds (only about $137,000 has been expended up to January, 1910), has shown the wisdom of specializing. With the Los Angeles charter revision, the commission will undoubtedly become a charter commission. The Violet Street Playground, or Playground No. 1, as it was called, was opened in June, 1905. It was about two acres in size and cost in the neighborhood of $11,000 for land and $6000 for improvements. This center is open every day in the year, and is made attractive to persons of all ages. For the young children there are sandboxes, large kindergarten blocks and baby swings. For the girls there are swings, seesaws, maypoles, basketball, volleyball, croquet, tennis, etc. For the boys there are facilities for field sports, baseball, handball, basket-ball, also play apparatus and a large openair gymnasium with roof to shelter from sun and rain and a floor of soft tanbark to fall on. A small building contains hot and cold showers. For the mothers a summerhouse is provided, where they may sit and read or watch the children at play. There are forty-five small gardens, for both boys and girls, where young gardeners grow flowers, also vegetables for home consumption. Under volunteer assistance a very successful "Park Department" was formed of children interested in this work. Care of the playground trees and plants was undertaken, as well. A system of marking for regularity in watering, weeding, caring for tools, etc., was inaugurated, and appropriate prizes awarded to those who received the highest number of points. Divided into two groups, the little gardeners also competed for their respective sides. A very important part of the equipment is the clubhouse, a quaint bungalow in one corner of the grounds. This contains a large main room with stage, clubroom, storeroom and kitchen supplied with dishes and utensils for use in giving entertainments. In the afternoon children meet for sewing or other manual work, for games, drills and folk dancing, or musical organizations. In the evening those over 15 years of age form clubs in dramatic, musical and gymnastic work. On Saturday evenings except during summer months in this center, as in all the others, an excellent course of lectures, concerts and plays is given, for which many of the most talented people of the city generously give their services. The last Saturday evening of the month is reserved for home talent, when the children and young people give the entertainment. Certain evenings in the month, the clubhouse is reserved for parties given by groups connected with the center, the nearby public school, or any set of neighbors who may speak in advance. The equipment of the center is completed by a pretty bungalow, the home of the director. Too much cannot be said for the benefits of this residence feature. The man and his family become an integral part of the neighborhood, and the influence of a wellordered, hospitable home permeates the atmosphere of the center. Here, again, the settlement idea is exemplified. The second Los Angeles playground was opened in May, 1907, and was a five-acre extension of Echo Park, bounded by four streets. Originally it was but a miserable hole in the ground, a detriment to the neighborhood. The Park Department kindly filled the tract and presented it to the Playground Department. Later they added to their generosity by parking one end of the ground and edging the rest with a beautiful border of trees, shrubs and vines. Echo Park Playground is equipped in much the same manner as the center just described, but being over twice the size, accommodates more apparatus and more visitors. Sometimes on Saturday afternoons there are as many as seven hundred children and young people at play, with several score of elders looking on. An interesting development of this center is the Playground Republic, to which most of the children and young people, who are regular visitors, belong, although membership is not compulsory. The members elect their own president, judge, police and other officers, enact rules and have general charge of their enforcement. However, very little discipline is required on a well-supervised playground. The citizens pay a monthly tax of 5 cents. From this fund are bought athletic supplies, in addition to what the department furnishes. Inauguration of republic officers takes place on March 4, with serious public ceremonies. The clubhouse of this center is an artistic structure, built when prices were very low, for about $4000. The auditorium. is 32 by 48 feet and has a stage extension. It is beautified with cheerful fireplace, built-in bookcases, window-seats, and windows on three sides. The house fronts upon the beautiful lake of Echo Park. An office, two clubrooms, a kitchen and two dressing-rooms are provided. The finish is of Oregon pine, oiled, the effect being very pleasing. In the basement is a workshop for boys, also a room containing box bowling alley. When the clubhouse was opened neighbors gave a number of good pictures, a bust of Lincoln and other furnishings. The playground director has made his home in the clubhouse, but a bungalow residence will soon be built for him. A large wading-pool will also be added to the equipment of the ground. The social activities of the clubhouse are many and varied. Musical work is prominent, and includes a boys' band, a girls' band, an orchestra and a mandolin orchestra. The band instruments were donated to the playground. The young people pay a small fee to their musical leaders. Opportunities are also given children and older people for dramatic expression. At the recent Christmas celebration thirty-six girls gave a beautiful Christmas play under the leadership of volunteer helpers. The Playground Commission early felt that the municipality should afford special recreational facilities for the working young men and young women and the adult population. It was determined to build what was termed a recreation center, to distinguish it from the playgrounds proper, as affording better means for indoor play, a house that should offer something of what the social settlement or Y. M. C. A. building furnishes. A corner lot, 200 by 120 feet to an alley, located in a central industrial district, was secured, costing less than $9000. Of this amount $1000 was subscribed by two industrial companies. Here was built a handsome brick-andplaster structure in the Spanish Renaissance style, so prevalent in southern California. The building, which would ordinarily cost about $30,000, was built when prices were low, and cost less than $21,000. Equipment, including bowling alleys, amounted to about $5600. The place was opened to the public in October, 1908. The main feature of the building is a fully equipped gymnasim, measuring 44 by 74 feet, with windows on three sides. On the fourth side a large stage opens, for the gymnasium is also meant for use as an auditorium. Ordinarily the stage is closed off with rolling doors and is used as a clubroom. The gymnasium is two stories in height, a gallery furnished with a running track being located at the second story. Other features of the building are, briefly, as follows: Ten marble shower-baths, modern locker-room, storeroom and furnaceroom, two model bowling alleys, district nurse's headquarters, kitchen, two clubrooms, library; physical instructor's office, where measurements are taken and records kept; trellised roof-garden, which commands a magnificent panorama of the city and mountains and is equipped with sandbox and building blocks for children, and with electric lighting for evening socials; and last, but a very important factor, a pleasant five-room apartment for the manager. For here again the home rounds out the work of the center and establishes helpful relationships. The recreation center is the scene of busy activity, afternoons being given over to the children, evenings to those over the age of 15. The gymnasium, baths and bowling alleys are used at certain times for men and boys, at other times for women and girls. The club organizations are particularly interested in dramatic and musical work and frequently give entertainments. The boys take pride in a well-trained drum and bugle corps. Saturday evenings are given to the regular lecture and entertainment course. The lot accommodates a small playground, simply equipped. Vines and shrubs add to the beauty of the center. In time it is planned to add another building to the original one, to contain an indoor plunge, additional showers, boys' workshop, larger clubrooms, etc. The present building will then be but one wing of the larger structure, which will surround a court on three sides. The Playground Department aims to have these centers bring together kindred forms of municipal work. The public library was induced to place a playground branch at each of the three centers described, and to provide the services of a playground librarian, a woman specially fitted for this work. Each branch is open two afternoons and one evening a week. In all, about 1,500 books a month are circulated. Current magazines, also daily papers provided by the press, supply the reading-room. Checkers, authors and other quiet games may be enjoyed. From time to time volunteer helpers conduct a story-telling hour, scrapbook-making and similar lines of work. Under the management of the College Settlement, the city supports a system of instructive district nursing. At the Violet Street Playground and the Recreation Center specially fitted-up rooms are furnished for the headquarters of two of the nurses. Here supplies are kept, calls for nurses are registered and some dispensary service rendered. The chief work of the nurses, of course, lies in the homes of the district, each nurse averaging sixteen visits a day. The nearby schools are also inspected by them. Recently a municipal Band Commission has been created. This department co-operates with the centers by giving band concerts there as well as in the parks. The idea is to make the concerts of a high order and to give instruction concerning the music to be rendered. opened. Of these, It will be particuTiers of seats on Early in 1910 two new playgrounds will be Hazard Playground contains about eleven acres. larly adapted to field sports and ball games. a natural slope will be built for large numbers to witness games, meets and festivals. The playground adjoins a tract of rolling ground of some fifteen acres, which is to be a park. a school site, where a new school will soon be built. It also adjoins |