Playground for Wilmette

Citizens of Village Organize in Effort to Get a Place for Children to Spend Their Time (subtitle); Campaign Is Started (2nd subtitle); Boys and Men Interested in Movement Will Solicit Funds Among the Residents of the Village This Week.(3rd subtitle);

In an effort to establish a playground and gymnasium, and, ultimately, a Community House in Wilmette, the committee in charge have sent out circular letters to citizens of the village asking for their support in this worthy cause. The letters will be distributed from house to house by committees of boys, who will at the same time solicit pledges of funds. The committees, or leagues, as they are called, are made up of the following boys: League one, Howard Cutler; Lewis Perkins, Earle Wheelock; league two, Roy Kirtland, William Wiseheart, Harry Bridwell; league three, Ralph Bruch, Malcolm Melville, Frederick Gage and Dale Smith; league four, Harold Smith, Louis M. Bruch and Cedric Smith; league five, Leland Pierson, Bruce Thayer and Brenton Groves; league six, Staver Moulding, Hugh Paterson and Merritt Bruch.

(Want More Help)

A meeting of men and boys has been called at the home of J. H. Harper to organize collection leagues to canvass the households west of the railroad. It is urged that any of the other young men of Wilmette who wish to assist in the canvass for pledges will kindly offer their services to Harry W. Miller, 725 Ninth street; R. W. Jordan, 1317 Elmwood avenue, or Louis Bruch, 1201 Greenwood avenue. Bulletins will be displayed in prominent places three times a week to show the growth of the fund.
Following is the circular letter that is being distributed:

Dear Neighbor:

A gymnasium is badly needed in Wilmette - a community already containing 2,300 minors.

Most of our citizens have come to Wilmette to raise their children amid best surroundings. For the very little folks the grassy, shady yards are ideal, but for the growing boys and girls and the young men and women reaching their majority there is no recreation place. There is not in the town even a graded vacant lot large enough for the boys to play "indoor" baseball, nor in winter is there a place provided where the children might be indulged in as much as a skating pond.

No matter how good a home you have provided for your boy, he longs for a recreation place where he can develop his strength and skill with other youths. He craves the manly sports - which are as necessary to his upbuilding as is a knowledge of reading, writing and arithmetic.

Remembering the days of our youth, let us all, as neighbors, get together to establish here a community house, which shall, among other things, give to our boys and girls -

A gymansium, with necessary lockers and shower. The gymnasium will serve for occasional moving picture shows, lectures and general meetings, which the parents - as well as the children - may attend.

A room for games, where the children may taryy for a bit after their excercises.

A room for boys' meetings - Nature Study club, Bicycle club, Loyalty Button brigade, Wireless club and Club for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

A room for girls' meetings - Wilmette Willing Workers, Floral club, Weaving and Sewing circle, Helping Hands, Story Hour club, Outing club. A playground fitted with running track, bars, ladders, horses, flying ring, vaulting and jumping standards, hurdles, jumping pits, swings, slides, seesaws, sand court, gun shelter platform, and for maypole drills, play festival exhibitions. ice skating pond, toboggan, etc., etc.

Our organization committee would like very much to have your endorsement of and financial aid in the movement, which we hope will ultimately give Wilmette a community house equal in character and equipment to those already established with such great success by neighboring suburban towns. We believe it best that it should be non-sectarian, non-political, and, if possible, free to every person in our community. If sufficient funds can be raised, we believe it advisable to begin the work at the vacant school building and lot located at Kline street and Central avenue. We can during the first year there prove out the principal needs of our boys and girls, under the study and superintendence of a young, college-trained gymnast and educator.

It should be the best paying investment our townspeople can possibly make in developing our youth along the lines of morality, healthfulness, co-operation, loyalty, fairness and good-fellowship, which will make for greatest business and social success. It will also provide a rest-place for the older people, who will find greatest entertainment in watching the children at their happiest.

Will you kindly signify on enclosed card to what extent you will generously pledge yourself to establish this movement?

Signed for the boys and girls of Wilmette, Mrs. C. P. VanSchaack, Mrs. T. O. Thompson, Ralph H. Rice, Morton L. Paterson, H. W. Miller, Mrs. Geo. L. Martin, Mrs. C. R. Latham, R. W. Jordan, John W. Iliff, J. H/ Harper, Louis Bruch, organization Committee. Address Harry W. Miller, treasurer, 725 Ninth street.