NEIGHBORHOOD NIGHTS.

For an experimental project, I believe we received some gratifying
results on the nieghborhood nights, Of the six playgrounds two school are 7
continuing with their adult recreation, Cordley in south Lawrence » and Woodlawn
in north Lawrence, As Dr. Nash said: "Whe young people and the adults need:
recreation as mich or more than the children," With this in mind, it was
interesting to see what response we wuld get in our pioneering movement,
The following is a general discription of the playgrounds" Neighborhood ‘Nights?
and the leaders opinion about them.

t~ Had four neighborhood nights, Their crowd was not more than 55 at
any time including both parents and children, They had square dancing, community
singing, outdoor games, and served punch and coffee, Miss Todd: "Neighborhood -
nights I believe in heartily. I do not know what it takes to get the crowd out,
_ but it surely should be continued. It is new and it will grow, I did think that
perhaps the children's eagerness would be increased if they were not tired from
the playground's activity of the afternoon—and their enthusiasm would bring out
. more parents,"

Pinckney:~Had five neighborhood nights, Attendance about 50 including parents

and children, Played croquet, bingo, square dancing, community singing, baseball,
and brought picnic dinners about three times, Miss Mallory: "I think the neigh-
borhood nights are grand and should be continued until they become more popular,
They are worthy of more popularity than they had in Pinckney district this

summer, But again, we did not reach the lonely people who need it, Those who

came were largely those whose children brought them, I know they seemed to many
of our patrons just another place to go when they already had too many activities,

We need to learn to enjoy our homes also,"

Lincoln:- Had five neighborhood nights. Attendance about 25, both parents and
children, Adult attendance low, Played baseball, croquet, and had comunity
singing. Miss Anderson: "Neighborhood nights were not popular with the adults.
They felt that work was so essential that they could not sacrifice any of the +
daylight hours to play. If recreation activities were carried over into the

- school program, I think that during the winter months the adults would cooperate
much better, Neighborhood nights were popular with the teen-age group,"

: New Yorki— Had five neighborhood nights, ‘The idea did not catch in that district
at all, Only one adult showed up for each "evening picnic", There might have
been two reasons for this: a. The PTA president was not interested enough, or too
busy to pugh this recreations and b, the school principal was out of town all
summer, She could have made some Valuable contacts for the leader, Miss Jacobson:
"To get neighborhood nights started in this district, I suggest that, rather than
working thru the PTA, it would help te work with a group of parents who are re~
creational minded, who would form a committee to be in charge and to get in touch
with other parents who might be interested, "

Woodlawn:~ Had five neighborhood nights, Attendance about 75 including children
and parents. Because Woodlawn is in North Lawrence and has such excellent play
area, I was happy to see as many adults as there seemed to be interested in con-
tinuing with this recreational evening, Played volleyball, baseball, shuffle-
board, tetherball, croquet, Sold pop and popcorn, Had two band concerts and

a marionette -show!