BuadT. Mirt 18, XS53
MEDFORD (OREGON) MAIL TRTBTTKE THTRTEOf
lygpyirDdls
School Authorities
Feel Supervision,
Instruction Best
Alternatives Raise
Other Safety Problems
Editor's note: Considerable
public discussion has been
beard recently about the
"blacktop" surfacing now in
use on parts of the play
grounds of the four Medford
elementary schools. The dis
. ' cussion has largely been stim
ulated by articles which ap
- peered , in two national mag
azines, ' and in the Portland
; Oregonian. The writer of the
1 following article has made
something of a study of the
blacktopping since his second
" grade daughter broke her arm
" in a fall from a piece of play
ground equipment last fall.)
By ERIC ALLEN, JR.
Mail Tribune City Editor
Youngsters are going to get
hurt.
' No matter what safety-con
scious school authorities, princi
pals, ' teachers and parents can
do, high-spirited school kids will
continue to come home with
skinned knees, bumps on the
head and, occasionally, broken
limbs.
, These casualties can be mini
mized by providing the safest
possible surroundings for the
children, by training them in
safety practices and keeping a
sharp eye on their play.
The question which has arisen
in Medford recently and which
has generated some pretty hot
discussion is whether or not
'blacktop" or asphaltic concrete
is a safe material for the play
grounds, particularly beneath
playground equipment and ap
pliances.
A group of parents maintain
it is not safe, and quote recent
articles on the subject to sub
stantiate their arguments.
Other observers maintain that
the blacktopped play yards are
as safe if net safer than grav
el or dirt playgrounds. School
men in Medford, with some res
ervations, generally agree with
the latter group, provided that
certain safeguards are taken.
" They are quick to point out,
however, that if it can be con
clusively shown that there is a
better way of surfacing play
grounds, it will be adopted, and
if any safe way is put forward
to make a softer surface under
equipment, that too will be con
sidered. ' They are emphatic in stating
that they " are not standing by
the blacktopping without qual
ification, but have yet to be
convinced that anything else is
better.
What is the comparative situ
ation regarding accidents before
and after the blacktop was in
stalled? Unfortunately, acci
dent spot maps have been kept
only for the past two years. Be
fore that, the records show only
the name of the child and the
date of accident There is no
way to determine the cause of
accidents which occurred more
than two years ago.
But the principals of the four
elementary schools here, who
should be familiar with the sit
uation if any one is, are agreed
that there has been no increase
in accident incidence, and that
accidents which have occurred
in the past two years are no more
serious than those occurring be
fore.
In analyzing accidents which
happened last year it is difficult
to blame the blacktop, directly,
for any of them. The principals
are frank to admit the blacktop
results in "expenditure of more
hide" that there is more skin
lost in minor abrasions. But
they feel that the hard topped
surface has a tendency to mini
mize the seriousness - of acci
dents, and for several reasons:
1. The blacktop eliminates, un
even surfaces which are apt to
trip up hurrying youngsters.
2. While abrasions, or skinned
knees and elbows, are common,
there is no longer the problem
of sand, dirt or gravel being
ground into the wound.
3. Wider use of playing fields
for marbles, volleyball, basket
ball, and other games, draws
emphasis away from the equip
ment, thereby making them less
likely to be overcrowded a
hazard in itself.
4. Blacktop drains rapidly and
readily, and can be used with
out danger of wetting the chil
dren immediately after a show
er. Before, mud and .water pud
dles frequently kept children
confined to school buildings
even in pleasant weather fol
lowing a ram. .
5. Children appear to be more
conscious of safety precautions
on blacktop than they were be
fore, and follow elementary
rules of behavior more readily
than they did on dirt or gravel
surfaces.
The biggest objection to black
top has been under and around
playground equipment, the
swings, ' slides, "monkey bars,
horizontal bars, merry-go-rounds
and jungle gyms, which are felt
to be a necessary and construc
tive part of every playground.
This was graphically pointed
out in an article in last Sunday's
Portland, Oregonian, which
showed a picture of two boys
hanging from their knees, head-
down, and another boy precari
ously walking on top of the
monkey bars. It is true that a
fall onto blacktop . under such
circumstances ' could be pretty
serious and has been in several
cases in other cities, notably Los
But it was also pointed out
that any youngster caught per
forming such tricks would not be
permitted to use the equipment
again, at least lor a time ana
until they had learned its prop
er use.
Alternatives so far proposed
for hard surfacing under play
ground equipment pose as many
questions if . not more than
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PLAYGROUND SCENE: Shown above is ' believes perhaps should have softer material
the playground at Lincoln elementary- school . than, blacktopping beneath it. During both re-
during recess, a scene typical of any of the city's
four grade schools. The picture shows the con
troversial "blacktop" paving, and the play
ground equipment. From the extreme left, the
apparatus includes the "monkey bars," next a
jungle gym, swings, slide, merry-go-round, and,
at right, another jungle gym, which is highly
popular withstudents at this school. Not shown
are the horizontal bars, which one principal
cess periods and lunch hours one or more teach
ers are on hand to supervise play, and all chil
dren entering school are given instruction in
elementary safety precautions, including rules
of behavior on playground equipment. In the
foreground can be seen markings used for
various games now played on the blacktop,
which could not be done on the rough gravel
yards used before, the paving was laid.
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its use. .
If sand or sawdust is used,
some way must befotmd to keep
it beneath the equipment, or its
utility is lost. This could be
done by a pit, or by a box. If
is were scattered loose, it would
soon be dispersed and its effec
tiveness would be lost.
If they were confined in a
pit or box, the edges of these
would present a far greater dan
ger than the hard but smooth
surface now in use.
In addition there is a question
of sanitation. Dogs are notably
attracted to playground equip
ment (just ask one of the prin
cipals about dogs they consti
tute a knotty problem in them
selves) and unless the sand or
sawdust was changed frequent
ly and regularly, a serious health
hazard would result. '
Experiments are being con
ducted in the use of several
types of rubber matting or pads
under equipment, but all those
tried so far have worn out rap
idly, posing, problems both in
expense, and in danger to young
sters who might expect to drop
on a pad and fall, instead, on a
spot of hard surface.
No Pattern Seen
In reviewing last year's acci
dents at the four elementary
schools, it was found that there
is no pattern in where they oc
cur.
Of 13 reported last year at
Washington school, one was
boy hurt when struck in the
stomach with a ball, another
ran into the school building, an
other was hit by a book, another
fell near the steps while leaving
the building, one fell while
climbing the jungle gym while
wearing roller skates (against
the rules), another turned an an
kle while playing volleyball, an-
otner leu on tne steps, one
dropped an iron grating on his
toe, one involved a splinter
picked up in the school building,
another was hit by a bat, an
other was cut by glass from
spectacles broken while playing
on the merry-go-round, another
was hurt when going down the
slide sideways (also against reg
ulations), and the last received
a hurt wrist in a game of volley
ball
Only one the youngster who
fell while leaving the building
was connected with blacktop.
The accident presumably w.ould
also have occurred on gravel, or
packed dirt for that matter.
At Lincoln school, no 1950-51
accidents were attributable to
the blacktop. At Roosevelt, sev
eral accidents occurred on the
blacktop, but none were of a
nature that they could be blamed
exclusively on the material. Sim
ilar reports were made from
Jackson and Lincoln schools.
The principals felt that there
are three ways in which acci
dents can be kept to a minimum.
They are:
1. Proper selection of equip
ment. Playthings called "giant
strides," which were long chains
attached . to poles and which
were used by children for
swinging wide around the poles,
have -been discontinued as too
dangerous. Other equipment
has been modified or eliminated,
and all now in use are annrnvprt
by safety authorities. (One prin
cipal, H. W. Gustin of Jackson
school, said he felt the horizon
tal bars should be modified, or
soft material put under them.)
Mercury Now Visible
By J. HUGH PRUETT
Astronomer, Extension Division
Oregon Higher Education System
The little planet Mercury has
inspired annual discussion in
this column at about this time
of year almost without fail since
1936. The reason is that many
persons, even. those well along
in life, are not sure they have
ever spotted this little messenger
of the gods of ancient mythology;
and lurther, that he flies most
boldly in the western twilight
at this season and for only a
comparatively few evenings in
succession
Most of the year Mercury is
so nearly in the direction of the
sun that he is lost in its bril
liant rays. This year he is in the
best position for evening ob
servation during this present
week. He will be farthest east
of the sun on March 18, but is
somewhat brighter at present
than then. During the next few
evenings our little planet will
set almost Wz hours after the
sun, so the observer should be
gin to scan the darkening skies
much, earlier than this.
Due West
Mercury will be sinking into
the horizon almost due west
and will excel in brightness
everything in the entire lower
western sky with the, exception
of brilliant Jupiter. In fact, the
two are now only five degrees
apart and present a very fine
combination. The separation will
be slightly less as the week ad
vances. This proximity to Jupi
ter will most easily point out
the location of Mercury.
Now for a few astronomical
facts about this shy little world.
2. Instruction. All children
are made iammar wun me
school grounds and equipment
when they first enter school, and
are given definite instructions
regarding their use. Primary
grades, in some cases, are not
allowed to use certain types of
equipment.
3. Supervision. A teacher is
on the playgrounds at all recess
periods, and more than one are
assigned during lunch hours. It
is their duty to watch for im
proper use of equipment and to
check over-enthusiastic young
sters in their play. '
There are portions of each
playground which are unpaved,
usually with a sawdust base,
which are available for children
to use in rougher sports such as
football. According to accident
maps, mishaps- are as apt to oc
cur there as on the blacktop.
But school authorities here
said if something better than the
present system can be devised,
they will make use of it. They
have yet to be shown, however,
that blacktop is basically more
hazardous than other playground
coverings.
Mercury is the smallest of the
nine principal planets, with a
diameter of 3100 miles as com
pared with 7900 for our earth.
His orbit is the nearest to the
sun of any of the regular plan
ets, and a round trip requires
only 88 days compared with the
year for our earth. Next out
from the sun comes Venus and
the earth. Because of Mercury's
relatively small orbit inside the
earth's path, he always appears
to us in the general direction of
the sun.
Best Seen in East
Mercury is best seen in the
eastern dawn at certain times in
the fall. The fact that he was
sometimes seen in the western
twilight and at other times in
the dawn confused the early
Greeks and caused them to be
lieve they were viewing two dif
ferent planets. They called him
Mercury when an "evening
star;" Apollo when a "morning
star."
Likely Mercury keeps one
side constantly toward the sun
as does our moon toward the
earth. It seems that there can
be little atmosphere present and
that the. side toward the sun is
extremely torrid hot enough to
melt lead. All water would boil
away. Jeans has said, "If there
are rivers on Mercury, they are
rivers of lead."
If clear skies prevail during
the next few days, do not fail
to look for Mercury as he glides
down the western twilight.
Machine Planned
For Translating
Seattle (U.R) A machine
which translates one language
into another at the flick of a
switch is being developed at the
University of Washington.
Prof. Erwin Raifler, developer
of the machine, has been award
ed a grant-from the Rockefeller
Foundation with which to con
tinue his work. His machine will
operate in the principle of an
electronic brain which can make
complex mathematical calcula
tions in seconds.
In the professor's machine, the
electronic memory apparatus
will be used to store the words
of a translating dictionary so
that a text fed into the machine
will come out translated accord
ing to the diction definitions.
Soap jelly (13 cup soap dis
solved in a quart of hot water,
cooked until it jells) on-a brush
or sponge is best, say research
ers of the Gas Appliance Manu
facturers' association, for gettinp
dirt up from pile surfaces anc
sturdy fabrics rugs, pillow cov
erings, mattress ticking, etc. ' j
On Durante Show
Hollywood (U.R) Margaret
Truman said Saturday her de
light in "making people laugh'
prompted her to accept a return
engagement on Jimmy Durante's
"All Star Revue" television pro
gram nere. -
It was. on Durante's show last
year that Miss Truman's talents
in comedy first received nation
wide attention. .
' She is scheduled to appear on
the program March . 22 . w i t h
Durante and Eddy Jackson and
to introduce a new song, "Tru
man, Jackson and Durante."
Miss Truman is visiting here
for two weeks while on a west
ern concert tour.
Milk Price Ruling Set
In Puget Sound Region
Seattle (U.R) The Seattle
umce oi i-rice btaDUization has
issued a new ruling requiring
retail milk prices in the Puget
Sound area be slashed when
ever the cost of raw milk goes
down.
The amendment, effective
Thursday, also requires whole
salers to lower their prices when
raw milk goes down. Previously,
cost increases could be passed on
to the customer, but decreases
did not have to, be reflected.
Retailers thus will be required
to maintain the difference be
tween costs and prices which
they had on Dec. 20, 1951.
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