October 6, 1939

Dear Fellow Faculty Members:

Doubtless you have noticed, along with the rest of us,
the great poverty of play facilities for our children here in the
city of Lawrence. With that idea in mind, the Department of
Physical Education desires to render service to faculty members
who have children.

Our plans are not fully worked out, but our idea is to
open the gymnasium on Saturday mornings to the children of faculty
members. We plan to use our physical education faculty to teach
your youngsters recreative games and play. If you will send to
my office the names of your children, ages and sex, our faculty
will outline a program for your approval. There will be no charge
for any of this service,

If we can get sizeable groups, members of our women's
department will teach the girls, and our staff in the men's
department will teach the boys. This, of course, would not include ,
instruction in individual sports, such as boxing, and individual
tap dancing, but we had in mind such group activities as swinming,
basketball, badminton, deck tennis, suffleboard, volley ball and
tap dancing for tne youngsters.

In case any parents should desire to accompany their
children they will be welcome,

The Lawrence public schools close their gymnasia in,
the high school and the elementary schools at vacation time,
such as Thanksgiving and Christmas, We have petitioned the
past superintendent of schools and the members of the Board
of Education to keep the gymnasia and the playgrounds open so #
that Lawrence children may have a safe and wholesome place to
play during vacation time under supervision. My notion is that
if you parents would reflect this opinion to the members of
the Board they would see the great cnjoyment that accrues to
children during their free time. And too, it would relieve
us here in Robinson Gymnasium of having a great number of the
school children of Lawrence swarm on us with play paraphernalia.
There is an unwritten rule at the University which prohibits others
than University students from using the facilities, The University
cannot be expected to take care of the problems of the city of
Lawrence in this instance, at least. . |

We shall be very happy to have your early response to
our proposed plan so that we may work out a definite schedule,

Very) sincerely yours,

FCA: AH Director of Physical Education and Regreatio
CHG - Varsity Basket Ball Coach
CA, WA 2 tee age 7

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