PAGE FOURTEEN
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Top: Indians,. cowboys, colonial dames the children on
parade at Leslie playground dress-np day.
Center: Prize winners at Leslie field day.
Bottom: Class in drawing, in shade of woodpilea, dinger
field.
Utilization of School Play
Areas and Apparatus Makes
Recreation Program Possible
Attractive Centers Provided; Total Attendance for
Each Season Greater Than Previous Year and
Reaches Remarkable Proportions
By ROBERT H. PATERSON
By a wise use of its regular school grounds and buildings
.which would otherwise stand idle during the vacation months,
Salem has become a city for play during the summer with
its two large recreational centers, Olinger and Leslie fields
providing a means of enjoyment for both children and adults
of the city.
. The fact that last year 152,244 o
persons, meaning total single day :
attendance, were attracted to the
two play parks daring the sum
mer suggests the degree to which
Salem people rely on the play
grounds for recreation. Nineteen
hundred thirty-seven, although it
was marred into the month of
June by heavy rains and cool
weather, is now setting new rec
ords at playlields and it is con
fidently expected to prove a rec
ord year for both attendance and
for amount of activities. -
About 83.000 persons, or ap
proximately bait the summer's at
tendance last year, were swim
ming in the two large, modern
pools. Leslie pool. 110 by 50 feet,
and of 199,000 gallons capacity,
attracted 40,419, while the pool
at Olinger drew 43,170. The lat
ter tank is slightly smaller, being
of 166,000 gallons capacity and
measuring 100 by 45 feet. Both
are tUed and are equipped with
spring boards. A filter system
keeps the water pure and changes
the water completely every six to
eight hours.
At Englewood too
The elty also maintains a small
playground this year at the Engle
wood school grounds. .
A summer-long program, of
vents, highlighted by such large
affairs at Pet day, Doll day and
Dress-up day, keep interest in
the playgrounds at a high level
all during the season.
Olinger and Leslie playgrounds
have their own softball teams,
.both boys' and girls', which meet
ach other In games during the
summer.
SPECIAL DAYS SET
Special programs at both Les
lie and Olinger playgrounds pro
Tide a running source of novel
entertainment for playground pa
trons from the opening date un
til the : playgrounds close early
In September.
Already the younger element
has enjoyed a pet day and doll
day at both Leslie .and Olinger
while numerous otner special
dayi are on the program. .
Outstanding . among the an
nual events yet to be 'presented
are the city tennis tournament,
whjch starts Monday, the soap
box derby -nd the clty eham-
cionshio swim meet. ;
The schedule of special days
for both play fields follows:
OLIXGEIt SPECIAL DAIS
Aue. 2 City tennis tourna
ment. - ' ' -
Aug. 4 Werner roast (noon).
Aug. -Lecture on Bolivia.
Aur. i'li Horseshoe tourna
ment.
Aug. 11 Welner roast.
Aug. 11 Treasure hunt.
.
Aug. 13 pool novel ty swim
meet (evening).
Aug. 16-28 Tennis tourna
ment (boys and girls).
Aug. 18 welner roast
Aug. 20 Soap box derby. .
Aug. 25 Welner roast
(noon).
Aug." 26 Family picnic.
: Aug. 26 "A Child's Day-
drama presentation.
Aug. 27 Olinger swim meet.
Sept. 3 City championship
swim meet.
Sept. 7 Welner roast.
"The Enchanted Garden"-
drama- music and dancing pro
gram (date to be arranged).
LESLIE SPECIAL DAVS -
Aug. 2 City tennis tourna
ment starts.
Aug. - 5 Welner roast and
grab bag.
Aug 6 Tom Thumb wedding
(evening).
Aug. 9-14 Croquet tourna
ment. .
: Aug. 13 Leslie pool novelty
swimming meet at 7:00 p. m.
Aug. 16-21 Bean bag. quoits
and ring toss tournament.
"Aug. 20 Soap box 'derby.
Aug. 26 Mrs. B. Richard's
operetta (night). Mother Goose
operetta (night .
Aug. 27 Olinger and Leslie
pool swimming meet.
: Sept. 3 City championship
swimming meet.
Sept. 3 Leslie picnic
Varied Activities
Carried on Daily
The Salem playground - pro
gram, under Vernon Gllmore's
direction, operates on the theory
that plenty of activities ' should
be Offered to direct the child's
natural energies Into . wholesome
ways during the three month gap
oetween school terms. !
i Children, or adults either for
that matter, should not have any
difficulty. In selecting: a summer
hobby ; or pastime from the fol
lowing list of activities being of
fered this summer by large and
experienced staffs at Olinger and
Leslie playgrounds. ... -
The activities are tumbling,
tap dancing, tennis, handicrafts.
swimming. dramatics, sofibau
croquet,-horseshoes and for the
little folk there are kinder gar.
tens, games, story hoar and
play periods on the apparatus is
the parks.
Recreation
T -
West Salem Also
Served This Year
Playground of Ten Acres
Near River Fitted up;
Many Patronizing
West Salem too, has its play
ground of ten acres located
along the rolling Willamette un-j
der shade trees Just to the south
of the Polk county end of the
big bridge.
Many children in the western
portion of Salem proper have
claimed this place as their own
for it is a matter of only a
short walk over the bridge tor
them to reach the spot.
While this park is yet too re
cently established to have much
equipment, the city of West Sal
em and other Interested parties
are working toward this end.
Generous citizens are helping
and free lunches for play-tired
children are donated daily by
various people.
The greatest attraction of this
playground Is the swimming, un
der skillf ul , Instructors and life
guards, in the Willamette river,
along a sandy stretch of beach.
These facilities are being im
proved by the addition of a
large . float, with diving towers
of 24 and 12 feet height. Rus
sell Hagy, assisted by . Joe Jack
son and Maynard Clark, are In
charge of the beach here, which
bas made former hazardous riv
er swimming sate.
An average of 55 children at
tend dally. The West Salem
playground Is directed by Orlen
R. Kring. and he Is assisted by
George Brant, softball Instruc
tor; Mae Grazen, girl's so Tt ball
and Mrs. O. J. Slgurdson, smaller
children's games, whose staff Is
made np of Mrs. Marion Clenden
Ing, Mrs. Violet Nichols and Mrs.
Flora Short. ..
Call Fear Phobia,
Advice of Savant
SALT LAKE CITY. July 31-m
-A University of Utah scientist
comforted those persons whose
pet superstitions have become
unpopular . and assured them
they may boast of phobias and
retain their popularity.
A phobia, explained : Justin C.
Stewart, Utah supervisor of pub
lic affairs and workers education,
is a tear of something. It is a
simple thing, with a big name
attached, t- -: .-. .
"It Is not popular to have su
perstitions, said Stewart, 'but
it is popular to have phobias. .You
can even ; boast about them."
Every normal person, he said.
has one or more Phobias.
Judging Tour Slated
BETHANY Palmer Torvend,
working under the auspices of the
extension service of Oregon State
college, will accompany a group
of Marion eour-v v nn a 4-H
judging tour nf ild Willamette
valley August 2, 3 and 4.
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fry I . - -
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.a? r. - a
I ft rill 1 1
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Top: Salem Chemeketans look over
Bird Creek Meadows. Blount Adams.
Center: Swimming pools for some,
Willamette river, for these youngsters. Just below Is the pool at
Leslie playground on a warm day.
Bottom: "Summer" playing summer baseball at Olinger field, new
high school In background.
Playground
! Personne
I
COMMITTEE
Mrs. David Wright, Chairman
R. S. Keene
Dr. L. E. Barrlck
Walter B. Mlnler
W. F. Neptun
CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE
Clifford O. Daue, Chairman
Walter Fuehrer
" W. D. Evans 1
PLAYGROUND STAFF
Vernon Gilmore, supervisor
Leslie Field
Gurnee Flesher, director
Anoka Coates, girls' director
Bob Brownell, swim director
.Forbes Mack, assistant
Donald Reed
Wilbur Tragllo
Ramona French -
Bessie Richards
Quentin Reeves
Myrtle Mathis
'Mildred Denham
Olinger Field
' Harold Hauk, director
Elspeth LImpus, girls' director
v Tom Drynan, swim director
George Causey, assistant
' Dale Smith, alternate
Bessie Shinn
' Ramona Reasoner
potter Gould
David Moses
Bob Keuscher
'r Rachel Garner
New Izaac Walton
Park Picnic Is Set
!
SILVERTON The Ixaae Wal
ton League park, one of the finest
insjthe district, will be Initiated
August 8 when Trinity church
holds its annual picnic there. The
park, near the old power 'house
site at the end of Sonth Water
street, was leased some time ago
by I the Silverton chapter of the
league, , ,
f Chapter members have been at
work clearing underbrnsb, clean
ing! out debris and making gener
al Improvements. Lumber has
been hauled for a dam and this
will be used for tables and seats
for! the church picnic.
, An open air service will be held
at jll: o'clock with Rev. M. J. K.
Fuhr delivering the sermon. A
basket dinner will follow, which
wil be followed by swimming and
other sports.
dd fellow Picnic Sunday
I SILVERTON Odd Fellows 'in
cluding Silver lodge No. 21, Rldge-
ly Encampment and the Rebekahs
wIH picnic at South Silver Creek
Falls Sunday. Games and sports
win be enjoyed in the afternoon.
The committee making the ar
rangements include George Busch.
Axel Olsen and Dr. R. M. Steward.
eenes in, the Slimmer i
m 'V:mt Xfl
site of their summer camp at
bnt the old swimming hole, the
McFarland School
Reunion Is Today
Community Near Albany
Will Sponsor Second
Annual Meeting
ALBANY Former and present
residents of the McFarland com'
munity are invited to attend the
second annual reunion of the Mc
Farland school Sunday, August 1.
The reunion was held for the first
time in 1936 when early students
of the school sponsored it. At that
time It was voted to make , the
reunion an annual event and Mrs.
Ed . Schoel was named president.
Mrs. Rhoda Churhill of Shedd was
appointed secretary-treasurer.
Following a basket dinner a
program is to given, with J. M.
Bennett, Linn county school sup
erintendent, as speaker. A short
business meeting will follow the
program and the remainder of the
day la to be spent in visiting and
renewing old-time friendships
The McFarland school was one of
the early schools of the county.
Forty-five students took part in
the first band concert of the sea
son, held in Takenah park Wed
nesday evening. The concert was
under the direction of Loren Lu-
per, with members of the Albany
high school band taking part.
The program consisted of the
following numbers: "Men of Ohio"
march by Fillmore; "Light Cav
alry." overture by Suppe; -Beau
Ufnl Lady in Blue," waits by
Coots;; "King Cotton," march by
Sousa; 'Pilgrim's Chorus" from
Tannhauser: "Neapolitan Nights
Zamecnik; "Our Director," march
by Biglow; "Man on the Flying
Trapeze," a novelty; "Deep Riv
er," negro spirtual; "The Thun
derer March," Sousa; "The Amer
ican Patrol" Meachem; and "The
Star Snangel Banner."
' A large and appreciative aud
ience was out to hear the band.
Girl of 12 Finds
675, Gold Coins
LAMAR. Mo., July 31-UPV-Vi
ola Faubion, 12, found a .fruit
jar containing 3675 in gold coins
while ; helping her dog eaten
mouse. . : V -
f The! mouse ran under a flat
rock at the entrance to the farm
smokehouse. Deciding to help tb
dog, she moved the rock and found
the Jar. The coins, In 320, 110 j
ana acnomuiauvui, . -
sewed i In a cloth bell. All v.
dated In the past 30 years.
in; I
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Cascade Area Is
Fine Playground
Sijyer Creek Falls Chief
Mecca; Chemeketans to
Camp Near Adams
Mountains form the backdrop
for Salem and the valley. The
Cascade range on the east and
the Coast range on the west af
ford 'many delightful sports for
recreation. Silver creek falls
draws thousands of people week
ly, with its fine state park. The
Santlam river and its branches
lure those who love the moun
tains and fishermen haunt the
streams of both mountain ranges
and the coast.
The Salem Chemeketans are
choosing for their ninth anual
Bird Creek Meadows camp on
Mount Adams, over in Washing
ton. This is the third year the
Chemeketans have gone outside
the state, in 1930 to Mount
Rainier and In 1932 to Spirit
Lake, at the foot of Mt. St.
Helens.
The dates for the outing this
year are August 8-22. The climb
of Mt. Adams will be made Aug
ust 15. The camp site may be
reached by automobile, turning
up from Underwood on the Wash
ington side.
W, I. McCloud Is chairman of
the outing committee and Arthur
Boeschen is managing the prelim
inary, work. An attendance larger
than for some years past is pre
dicted. Burt Crary, veteran chef,
is back to serve as camp cook and
entertainer.
Midwest, Eastern
People Coming
For Harvest Work
AUMSVTLLE This commun
ity is receiving Its quota of
eastern and . midwest people,
many of whom are coming . in
for the seasonal work, particu
larly bean picking which will be
gin in earnest this next Monday.
Mrs. Emma DeCosta of Ber
keley, Calif., is at the home of
her brother, Arthnr Braden to
assist In earing for their mother,
who Is seriously 111. i s
Ann Lanby of Salem Is a
house guest at the home of Mr.
and Mrs. W. K. WInslow ; for
the week. ' -::y -
Mrs. H. W. Goln, of Raymond.
Wash., Is here with her small
son, Ernest Goln, who Is very
111 with hernia, and was brought
to Salem for consultation.
Hay Crop Reported Good
From J Shelbcrn Locality
i SHELBURN Haying season Is
In full swing with reports of good
crops." The t-rsier end combine
will both ' busy in the naar fu-tr-e
wit! - Will-Elder's combine
J M&l Arnold's thresher asslst-
-ng.
Mrs. Olive Pnrdy Is soendins
w , -ome ume witn relatives in Klam
ath Falls.
u 1
lay
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2ES3&t23W!OtiyL '.lib'
Top: Dress-up day at Olinger playground.
Middle: First prize winners, Olinger playground, field;
day. i
Bottom: Class in tumbling directed by Cotter Gould, af
Olinger playground.
Playground Program Here Is
Gradual Growth; Started by
Service Clubs on Vacant Lot
Public Funds Supplied in
and Then Augmented,
Tederal Agencies
It's a far cry from Salem's first organized playground
established on a 14th street vacant lot in 1921 to the two
big completely equipped playfields, Olinger and Leslie, which
the city boasts today.
In 1921, the Kiwanis, Rotary, Elks, Women's club and
the Realtor club, under direction of the YMCA, started the
1 1 O first place for Salem's children
Federal Aid Given
To Projects Here
The economic emergency of
the past few years has done
more than any other factor In
moving Salem's recreational pro
gram forward. Added leisure for
many people, plus the federal
government's emphasis Upon
work of rehabilitation and rec
reation, made development of
places for play a natural out
come. "!
On August 12, 193, the WPA
began assisting Salem's recrea
tional program. I This year their
work has been expanded, and by
furnishing trained workers for
classes' . such ' as art, tumbling,
dramatics and kindergartens, the
calibre of the city's playgrounds
has been Improved and all at less
cost to the city.; This year, Sal
em's share will be surpassed by
that paid by the government.
Eight WPA teachers and ten
NYA workers are being employed
at Leslie and Olinger fields this
summer. 1
Keizer Travelers
Write of Orient
KEIZER Word has been re
ceived from Mr. and Mrs. Blake
who are touring in the orient.
The were just of the shore of
China, waiting for the tide leav
ing Shanghai. Just a tew days
before they had yisited Yoko
hama. They went by train to To
kio. k From the train they - saw
manyrlce fields, and even at
that time many, women were
wading In them and transplant
ing small plants I in straight rows
under several Inches of water.
At 6 a. m, children began to
come along the main road - on
flriWV 1 'Cno1 Mr- Blk
said, it looked like a parade as
they were aU In uniform, dif
ferent kinds according to age -:
They reached Shanghai m 'the
afternoon and they, with some
friends from Washington, hired
?vtr Sldea to take them
through the streets which were
too narrow for cars. After see
ingr many pitifully poor people
half-clothed and i dirty with sores
the McKinley. j
i' F1? 8aid their next stop
would be Hong Kong. She said
the weather was very warm but
a breeze comes up which makes
it bearable. i
ound
IT!
Small Amounts at First
School Grounds Used ;
Aid, Recent Years j
to play on a lot furnished by.
the school board.
1923 The city budget con
tained SSOO for playgrounds and
another was established at Lin
coln school with the assistance
of the Parent-Teachers associa
tion. In 1925, it was reported
that three hundred attended
these playfields daily through
July and August.
1926 The playground moneya
were omitted from the city bud
get. However, the Rotary club
raised a fund from its member
ship to carry on, and 10,649 chil
dren were afforded recreational
opportunities in the summer.
1927 Four people weTe em
ployed at the two playgrounds by
a fund to the amount of 1720.'
Total attendance in two months,
15,120.
1928 Yew park playground
was added to the other two and
the season extended to 2H'
months. The city council re
placed the recreational Item in
the budget, $1,000, and another
Instructor was hired. 7,525 at
tended.
1929 A total of 21,470 chil
dren were afforded a program
that extended through the entire
range of playground science.
1931 Actual cost to the city
was $1,192.50.
1932 The playgrounds were
curtailed with all other activi
ties, only two fields being main
tained. 1934 The two big new
grounds at Olinger and Leslie
were made ready and the present
plant opened. There were 40 in
structors, and total attendance
was approximately 65,000. The
city, winamette university and
the SERA shared the cost tor
this summer.
1936 Attendance increased to
atotal lot ; 152,244;
1 937 Director Gilmore pre
dicts this will be an even larger
year, with more Instructors svail
able through the WPA.
Newspaper Is Put
Out at Playfield
' The summer population oil
children' at Olinger - and Leslie
playfields runs into the hundreds
of thousands, larger than many
cities, so naturally a newspaper
must be published.
"Playground Prattle." a mlme
ographed 6-page newspaper cov
era the entire list of activities'
offered. The staff Is now work
ing on the fourth edition for this
year. . Anyone reading this pub
lication Is kept in complete touch
vitb, what is going on.