PLAYGROUNDS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 134, 9 June 1927, Page 12

PLAYGROUNDS.

THE CITIZEN OF THE FUTURE

BUILDING THE STATION". "Wickedness is just the desire for a good time gone wrong." exclaimed Mrs. Willoughby Hodman yesterday afternoon when speaking before the Auckland Playground Association at a reception they tendered her in the Pacific Club, at which Mrs. Xellie Fcrncr. president of the Auckland Playground Association, occupied the chair. Mrs. Rodman has a lengthy career behind her in her efforts to better the conditions of the growing boy and girl of Los Angeles and Ansurica, where she has been engaged in this work for the last twenty-five years. Corning as she does from one of the famous families of America, which has given Walter Hines Page to the diplomatic world, whose efforts for England and world peace are known to all readers the world over, for she was Miss Arabella Page, and also Thomas Xelson Page, the novelist, whose beautiful pictures of the Southern States are part of American literature. She is also a relative of Admiral Rodman, who was in Auckland with the American fleet last vear.

Out of all the taxes collected in the city of Los Anpeles. said "Mrs. Rodman, four per cent of every hundred dollars are used as a rate to keep up the playinyr areas and provide trained directors, and this brought in sSfi.ooo dollars last year. This was riot the only means at the

disposal of the Playground Association of the city, for there was a bond issue <>f a million dollars- besides, which was Used to provide property.

The speaker stressed the great - need there was to have trained directors in Auckland, so that the grounds that were already available in the form of School grounds could be made use of both "for boys and girls, as well as more municipal 'areas provided.

Mrs. Rodman pointed out that she had been driven round the playing areas of the city ■ for three hours, and she admired them very much and the fine work that was being done by Mrs. Fcrncr and the Playground Association but much more was needed, especially tor the girls.

One of these areas, said the speaker, is for girls at which the girls got half an hour's play on holidays, and then have to give it up to the boys. Now that she did not consider fair to the girls, and she wished to place, the matter before the civic authorities and to ask them if they thought such a division was at all fair. In England big strides were being made to give playing fields to the young people. The life of the cities was altering and more and , more open spaces were In-ing needed. Why, the other day the King had given some acres to assist this movement. In a young country like New Zealand this should be looked after. The movement in England was > led rhy Mrs. Humphrey Ward, who- started playincr areas in the poorer quarters, and took the matter into "the "Times" and thus was provided with £1000. It was as necessary to have the thoroughly trained director for playing grounds as it was to have a teacher in the school, and in America they wore trained in collprro f (ir their life work.

A child in the' school was under control, but when he came on to tho playground he was a freo apent to choose what he plaved at and hero was formed the habit, which was tho basis of r-hp.rncter. and character was the basis of a nation. Mrs. Rodman related how a franc of boys who were heading straight for the gaol had boon broken up by providing them with some sane form of aefivitv. A club house was built in the district with a srvmnasium and a nlaysrround and it broke un the srnnc T.ater the chief of police thanked her nssocintion for thf> jrood pffpot the club house had in the district. The leader of the cans , was made president of tbo olub. ami now was one-of the finest of their citizens Mrs. Rodman made a pointed anneal for more consideration of the claims of the Plavarround Association on the civic authorities, and made a plea for nroporlv -paid and trained directors for the Auckland plav centres, as are ci>nr>liwl in other parts of the world Mr. F.ntrican. who represented the Mnvor. also spoke in favour of play in jr areas. ' ■