Playfair
SIR LYON, an English scientist; son of Dr. G. Playfair, inspector-general of hospitals in Bengal; born in Meerut, Bengal, May 21, 1819; educated at St. Andrews and Edinburgh Universities. He studied chemistry under Graham in Glasgow and London, and under Liebig at Giessen. Inspector-general of government museums and schools of science in 1856, and was Professor of Chemistry at Edinburgh University 1858-1869. From 1868-1885 he represented Edinburgh and St. Andrews Universities in the House of Commons, and afterward the S. division of Leeds. He held several appointments under Liberal governments, including that of postmasfensive field work, camp sanitation, ter-general 1873-1874, and was created trench digging, signalling, marching, a K. C. B. in 1883. Besides his scienand in the general duties of a soldier. tific memoirs he published numerous im- Before the United States entered the portant papers on political, social, and war the number of men voluntarily at- educational subjects. Most of these In 1915 the organizers of the camp at Plattsburg sought the co-operation of professional and business men from the south. The military encampments usually lasted a month, during which the men were instructed in military calisthenics, rifle practice, offensive and de- PLAYGROUNDS PLEDGE economical essays were collected and playgrounds was at first entirely private published under the title "Subjects of but lately it has tended to take its place Social Welfare." He was also an LL.D. among those functions expected of a of Edinburgh (1869), F. R. S., member modern municipality. The chief agency of many learned societies, and possessed in such cases of public ownership has several foreign orders. He died May 29, been the school board. Very few play- 1898. grounds have been a success unless they have been under the supervision of some
PLAYGROUNDS AND RECREA- older person skilled in the direction of TION CENTERS. The first two dec- children. To meet this demand for ades of the twentieth century witnessed trained leadership classes have been an increased interest in the welfare of children on the part of the Amer- opened in many cities. Many large cities finding the space ican public. Legislation prohibiting provided for playgrounds insufficient child labor and restricting the hours of have set aside certain streets for chillabor for young persons between the dren's play. Traffic on these streets is ages of 15 and 20 has been passed the Federal Government and by nearly prohibited during the hours from three all the States. Educators have pointed out that in play all the child's energies and talents are given scope, because only in play can his deepest interest be aroused. Some intensity of interest and attention can be secured in work, but nothing in comparison with what can be obtained by play when that play is properly directed.
The city of Boston established the first playground in 1882, and New York, five years later appropriated $
1,000,000 to be used in purchasing small parks to be used as playgrounds. In 1894 the Tenement House Commission secured two small plots from the city of New York to be used as playgrounds for the children of the tenements. One of these parks, left without any apparatus and with no directors, was of little use. The other, however, was directed by the Recreation League of New York, who raised funds to supply supply apparatus and to pay for the proper direction of the play. This was opened to the children in July 1899, under the name of Seward Park and at once proved an immense success. In the same year the school boards of the different boroughs comprising the city of New York appropriated money to equip the school-yards of the city with apparatus and to pay the directors of the play. From 1900 on, the number of playgrounds in New York have steadily in the afternoon until six at night.
Chicago has made perhaps the most elaborate provision for playgrounds and recreation centers of any American city.