Annual report - Chicago Cop.com

4.-TENNIS COURTS:
8:00 A .•. -Dark.
WEST CHICAGO PARK COMMISSIONERS 17;
The tennis courts bring much pleasure to the boys and girls of the
neighborhood. Last year in one playground, more than one thousand
games were played. This shows good use, in a foreign community, of a
game which is somewhat scientific and calls for graceful conduct. Tennis
tournaments under Park supervision are now being encouraged, inasmuch
as one tournament demonstrated the fact that tennis playing met a need
which activities more strenuous cannot supply.
5.-CHILDREN'S PLAYGROUND:
8:30 A. )1.-9:30 P .••
The children's playground-equipped with wading pool, sand courts,
shelter, swings-is open to children under ten years of age. Older
children, and parents who accompany children under ten years of age, are
admitted as care takers.
The playground-which is invariably crowded to capacity-is in
charge of a trained kindergartener, who teaches the use of the facilities,
directs and instructs the children in their games, story hours, songs, raffia
work, sewing, stitching and crotcheting and such other pastimes as
their interests may direct and their young minds comprehend.
A park vacation school was recently held in one of the playgrounds,
the purpose being to formulate a co-operative plan with the public schools
for an ideal summer vacation school for children.
e.-CHILDREN'S GARDENS:
4:00 P. M.---ii:OO P •••
The children's gardens, each S'x4', in size, are a distinct form of
educative amusement. Each child, upon application, is allotted one of
these plats of ground for cultivation. The Park Board furnishes the
vegetable and flower seeds, together with the services of a trained gardener.
The children enjoy the gardens immensely, take great care of them.
and raise as many as three crops of vegetables in one summer. They are
allowed to take home what they raise. All work is carried on in class
form. The children generally come after school twice a week for a
period of one hour. This garden work is producing pleasing and permanent
results, which have already manifested themselves in the appearance
of small gardens in the front or rear of buildings in the neighborhood,
and in boxes of flowers on the window sills.
Digitized by Coog I e