Show I I It Is Up to the People to S Halt Senseless Vandalism Th Telegram ha has been calling public attention recently in a aerie series erie of illustrated articles to the problem of vandalism in Salt f Lake City particularly in our city parks and playgrounds So Sonic Some e of the damage that has bas been done I is appalling sheer appalling sheer ruthl ruthless s inane destruction that could not possibly have any purpose e even that of vindictive getting even en for some assumed wrong For instance the kind of destruction done in the thc restrooms I t t Athletic ball park East and South where plastered walls Avails were smashed plumbing fixtures ripped from th the walls or I ruin ruined d pipes broken or cut open op n. n The place looked as if a tank tal I had gone berserk inside Or consider the case of the willful d de destruction de- de I of a piano at the Victory playground Tenth East Keys were ripped off strings broken and the intricate system of levers and hammers so zo damaged that the piano cannot post possibly pos pos- J t sibly be repaired The damage in the parks and playgrounds this year is greater I I than i it ha has ever been according to Parks Commissioner Fred Tedesco Already this ls year he estimates vandalism in t the e parks A and d playgrounds has amounted to in contrast to an estimated estimated esti esti- mated damage in all of last year The same annie situation of Increased in increased In- In creased vandalistic damage is reported by Joseph J. J Gill street lighting inspector He reported the cost of replacing 2676 street streetlight Jig light ight t units unita destroyed during 1945 amounted to at least I including the cost of new units unith and the labor cost for replacement This is serious bW business for two reasons reason In the first place it itI itis I l is Js obviously a a. terrific waste of tax money The or more Which must be paid out to remedy the damage done means either i higher taxes or fewer improvements for Salt SaIt Lake City The 1 money wasted on repairing broken street lights for instance could far better be used to install new improved street lighting in the interest of public safety The money spent to repair damage damage damage dam dam- age in parks and nd playgrounds c could far fax better be spent for new i equipment and other improvements which would give better recreational rec rec- b facilities for the people of Salt Sal Lake I Secondly this vandalism is serious because it is evidence of ofa ofa a type of juvenile misconduct most of the vandalism is attributed attrib attrib- ted to children which leads to more serious juvenile delin delin- quency The youngsters rs who are so lacking in discipline and regard for the rights o of others that they would perpetrate this type ot of senseless destruction are likely candidates for theft burglary holdup and eyen cyon murder It is time to do something about this vandalism and The Telegram comme commends the Salt Lake Council of Women for it its action in launching a wide city-wide campaign against it Under the I direction of Mrs T. T E. E Gaddis council president this organization r tion representing Salt Lake City wo women en is seeking the support of individual 1 mothers of f churches es of various women's organizations and of civic and service clubs in an vandalism anti-vandalism campaign The answer to this vandalism of course is community spirit This is our city These axe re our parks and playgrounds It Itis Its itIs is s the responsibility of f every single resident of the city to prot protect protect pro pro- t ct th the city p e QUI welfare and enjoyment If ir the parents and nd children of each neighborhood would take an interest in th the protection of the street lights the playgrounds and parks in their neighborhood simply from the selfish standpoint of preserving their own community property much of this vandalism vandalism Vand van van- Van d could be be prevented Dt d. d What W at is needed is 19 community consciousness con con- s of owners ownership ip and responsibility Even children can get that consciousness consciousness and and if the majority of the youngsters in a neighborhood are det determined to protect th their ir own play property they will very quickly pull into line any few ew incorrigible te delinI delinquents delin delin- I que 1 who ho still think hilk ya vandalism is fu fun A This business busine of or f rn destruction of our own prop property is s senseless It Its It's got to stop And we believe jf the people of Salt Lake Lak City young and old can be made to realize h how w ridiculous and wasteful it is it can be stopped |