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Springfield College
Notes:
The YMCA has always been actively involved in promoting the development of playgrounds. According to the 1910 Proceedings of the Third Annual Playground Congress, “Young men from the Springfield Y. M. C. A. Training School have done most efficient work in organizing and developing playgrounds during the past year.” The idea of the playground as a method for imbuing children with a sense of fair play and good manners originated in Germany, where playgrounds were erected in connection to schools. In 1859, the first public-access playground was opened in a park in Manchester, England. Over time, organized playing areas have been adopted by other countries of the world and have become commonplace. The first playground in the USA was built in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park in 1887.
Text on border reads, "Springfield Municipal Playground Supervisors."
