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tivities for all age groups was developed for the guidance of the workers and made

extensive use of in the building of the program.
All of these activities were immediately reflected in a county-wide decrease in

juvenile delinquency that was nothing short of astounding. Boys who had grown away

from home influences were soon convinced that organized play was just as exciting as

running wild in mischief-making gangso Even fathers, forced into complete or partial

idleness by the depression, and mothers, burdened by more than their share of cares,

found recreation available for their participation that resulted in better health and

a more cheerful mental outlook.

The net result of the first month (July) of the project's operation was a reduc-

tion of 13% in juvenile delinquency cases over July of the previous year, while the play-

ground attendance increased 38.2%. When the project was inaugurated there were 268

supervised playgrounds in Los Angeles County available for use, but of these only 64

were in condition to operate at capacity, most of them being in large population areas.

The directors of the project moved forthwith to amend this condition. Within a few

weeks not only were the 268 County playgrounds being operated at capacity, but elso

85 new playground• had been opened,--an increase of 31.7%. This increase represented

an outstanding benefit to the County in itself but it assumed an even greater importance

when considered from the viewpoint that these new playgrounds were operating in 37 of

the smaller communities which theretofore did not have supervised play centers of any

description.

As the beneficial work of the project continued during the summer, the universal

approbation of its achievements, not only among the higher official circles of the County

but also anx>ng the citizenry the county over, was manifested in a great quantity of re-

quests and appeals that its continuity be unbroken by the approaching fall school term

and the work be carried on into the school year.

A meeting of reereation executives from every section of the county, together with
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representatives of many county departments and,,the Western Representative or the National

Recreation Association, was held during the first week of September. The reports of the

activities exceeded the fondest hopes of those who had been so closely associated with