Bids are submitted upon a basis of the British thermal units, which the coal specified will produce. Samples are taken of each car of coal as it is delivered at the institution. These samples are sent to the Uniersity of Illinois for test. If they show greater number of B. t. u. than the contractor bid on, then he receives a proportionate increase in price or a premium. If the tests show the coal to be below the standard, the contractor is docked. During the fiscal year of 1915-1916, the total penalties at all the charitable institutions amounted to $10,009.50 and the premiums to $1,294, making a difference in favor of the State of $8,715.50 from which are deducted the fees for testing, or $1,522.50, leaving a net to the State of $7,193.00. This figure, however, is the smallest consideration. Under the B. t. u. system of buying coal the State buys, not so many tons of something called coal, but so many units of heat. It contracts not for tons of stuff, but for actual units of power and payes for units of heat or power actually delivered and for nothing else. When this course was not followed, the institutions received dirt and dust and inferior quality of coal which had stood often in the rain, until much additional weight had been acquired. Recently a strong effort was made to induce the Board to abandon the B. t. u. basis but it refused to consider the proposition. A fine exhibit of the practical working of this system of purchasing heat units is presented in a table showing all the institutions, the kind of coal used by each and all the information as to ash, B. t. u. contracted and B. t. u. actually delivered and the penalties or premiums at each. This table is self explanatory even to the layman, and it appended: SUMMARY OF COAL SETTLEMENTS-ILLINOIS STATE BOARD OF Anna State Hospital... Chicago State Hospital... M. R. Scrgs. 21 206 10.43 10.00 12.25 11.700 11,255 $1.47 $1.397 601.50 1.044 09 808 1.753-2,371.20 1.449 1.9015 -331.40 -47.90 1.44 1.473 +299.60 1.250 -14.00 1.545 -365.00 1,685 -528.00 M. R. 10 51 12.73 12.50 15.56 10, 800 10, 259 1.59 1.480 924.40 FORWARD STEPS IN RECREATION IN ILLINOIS. [BY SIDNEY A. TELLER, Director, Stanford Park, Chicago.] The old test of where a state stood, was by finding out what the state did and could do along the lines of charities and corrections. The new standard is, what is being done along the lines of constructive and preventive social work, Recreation expressed in its many forms of physical education, wider use of schoolhouses, better schoolyards, playgrounds, parks, community pageants, etc., is one of the new social forces. In the newer terminology, the question will be asked, "How many playgrounds were opened last year?" and not "How many jails were built?" Illinois is just catching the importance of play and recreation-vital forces to reduce juvenile delinquency, increase health, assimilate the immigrant, making for Democracy, better community spirit, better team spirit, and good citizenship. Some twenty-five cities in Illinois are playing, renewing their youth and growing bigger and better. Here is Chicago, which has the best system of parks and playgrounds of any city in the world. Visitors now come to see the recreation centers and not the stockyards, and with the big variety of play facilities, it would profit our own citizens to visit this city to observe and learn, and then to put into practice what they see, when they get back home. At the last State Conference of Charaities and Correc tions held at Danville, a small amount of time was devoted to this subject, but great interest was manifested. Recreation should receive a larger and more important place at our future conferences. Since this conference, there was held at the University of Illinois, an “A. B. C." conference, A Better Community Conference, at which a whole section was devoted to recreation. A movement is now on foot to form a State-wide organization of all play and recreation workers and associations, for interchange of experience, advice, reports, etc. Those who are interested in such an association should get in touch with the writer who will gladly furnish further information. The first meeting of Illinois playfellows will be held in connection with the National Play and Recreation Congress at Grand Rapids, October 2-6. To put recreation on the map in Illinois, takes public education to the need, laws to be enforced and rights to be maintained, and experienced workers to carry on the work. We will present here a resume of four bills past by the last Legislature, the Forty-ninth General Assembly, which are of great importance and value to every city in Illinois along the lines we are discussing. Copies of these bills, can be obtained free from the Secretary of State, Springfield, Illinois. Senate Bill No. 401, "An Act to provide for physical training in the public and all Normal schools." This bill is commonly known as the "Compulsory Physical Education" law, which states it shall be the duty of all school boards or institutions where children are taught, which are supported wholly or partly by public funds, to provide for at least, one hour of physical education and training, each week during the whole school year, in all the grades. This bill further provides that the curriculum of all normal schools of the State shall contain a regular course of physical education and training for the students. Physical education includes and will lead to games, contests, better school ventilation, better school yards, school gardens, school playgrounds, etc. It is up to the social and civic workers of the State to see that this law is enforced in every schoolhouse in Illinois. Senate Bill No. 221, commonly known as the "School Social Center" bill, enlarges the powers of all school boards along some sixteen definite lines. The one in which we are interested are as follows: Section 7.-To appropriate funds for the purchase of libraries and apparatus, after the provision has been made for the payment of all necessary school expenses. Section 10.-To have the control and supervision of all public schoolhouses in their district, and to grant the temporary use of them, when not occupied by schools, for religious meetings and Sunday schools, for evening schools and literary societies, and for such meetings as the directors may deem proper. To grant the use of assembly halls and class rooms when not otherwise needed, including light, heat and attendants, for public lectures, concerts, and other educational and social interests under such provisions and control as they may see fit to impose, to conduct or provide for the conducting of recreational, social, and civic activities in the school buildings under their contraol. Section 13.-To furnish each school with a flag and a staff, as provided by law. Section 16.-To establish kindergartens for the instruction of children between the ages of 4 and 6 years, if in their judgment the public interest requires it, and to pay the necessary expense of the same out of the school funds of the district; provided, that no one shall be employed to teach in a kindergarten who does not hold a kindergarten certificate as provided by law. Up to the passage of this law, those who were interested in the wider use of the schoolhouse for social, civic and recreational purposes, were repeatedly told by boards of education that they would be very glad to open up the schoolhouse, but that they lacked authority for so doing. The above bill now gives the authority, and any community that wants to use the little red schoolhouse or the great big new consolidated high school can do so. We expect now to see the American flag flying on every Illinois schoolhouse, which will be the symbol of the larger liberty and larger education possible inside of the school. We want every schoolhouse to be the community center, the civic center, the social center, the recreation center of its district. We all want to go to school again, but this time along the lines of community education. Some school boards in Illinois do not know yet that this law has been passed. Is your community awake? No. 1. Why not Promote Playgrounds and Prevent Delinquency? No. 3. Physical Education for Every Child in Illinois Means Much for Child Welfare and Happiness. Senate Bill No. 452.-This act authorizes cities and villages having a population of less than 50,000 to maintain by taxation public parks. For this purpose the governing board of the city or village, after a favorable or majority referendum vote, can levy an annual tax up to three mills. The proposition may be put before the people in two different ways. Either the governing group can pass the ordinance and then submit it to the people, or if the board does not act and the people wish, upon petition of voters equal to at least 1 per cent of the number of votes cast at the last preceding election, the election officers must submit the proposition to the people. With such a bill, any village or smaller city can have its town square, city park, large athletic fields, places of natural and historic interest, etc. Experience has shown that if a town has the opportunity and power to buy the land, the improvement and use of same follow very quickly; making for more beautiful towns, with better civic pride, better recreation and better community spirit. House Bill No. 63.-"An Act to provide for the acquisition, equipment, conduct and maintenance of public playgrounds in and by cities having a population of less than 150,000." This bill is vastly important to the play. ground movement in Illinois and marks the beginning of a new epoch. In most communities, the value of a playground has to be demonstrated by an experiment through private effort before it is taken over by the municipality. Womens' clubs and civic organizations are glad to support a playground for a season or year, but do not want to eternally carry a burden which should be supported by public funds. The playground bill provides the way, after the proven experimental stage, of letting the people decide whether or not they want public playgrounds. A petition by 2 per cent of the voters compels the submission of the proposition or propositions to the people. A majority vote carries the desires into a fact, and a "playground tax" not to exceed 2 mills can be spread annually for the purposes mentioned in the bill. These monies can not be used for any other purpose, or can not be scaled down under any existing law. In addition to making provision for expert supervision, the bill further states: Section 4.-Such playgrounds, shall in the discretion of the playground board or boards, be filled with suitable appliances and instrumentalities, games and execises; and shall be so conducted as to be most conducive to the moral, intellectual, and physical welfare of the children using the same; and their use shall be free under such rules and regulations as will best enable the largest number of users to receive substantial benefit therefrom. We are happy to report that since the passage of this bill, two cities have already favorably passed on such a referendum measure and public funds are being used for this public need. With such four bills as are described above, any and every community in Illinois can take a step forward in the lines of public recreation. The opportunity is ours-the laws, the rights have been given. We want a Statewide campaign which will bring physical education and play to every child, wholesome recreation to every adult, and a system of parks, playgrounds and recreation centers to every community. Build good roads, of course, but let these roads pass playgrounds instead of reform schools, pass parks instead of tuberculosis sanatoria, pass recreation centers instead of jails, poorhouses or insane asylums. DOES YOUR COMMUNITY PLAY?-AN OPEN LETTER. We want your help on these two things: We are taking a State-wide inventory along the lines of play and recreation. We want to know what communities, villages, towns and cities, or even county units have facilities for public recreation, whether privately or publicly supported, and how much they have. Our records show that only 25 cities in Illinois "played" last year. Surely there are more. We want to find them. Will you communicate with the undersigned? The other thing is this: There are State-wide organizations for everything that we can think of, except recreation and play workers and associa |