THE FOUNDLING SITE
[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] SIR, May I add a few words to the interesting letter from Mrs. L. Ragg, which appeared in your issue of December 12th ? As Rector of St. Andrew's, Holborn, the parish in which the Foundling Hospital was first established, I would strongly urge that there could be no more fitting memorial to Captain Coram, than the dedication of the Foundling Site to the use of the children of Central London as a playground for all time. Only yesterday, going along Guilford Street, I passed a large party of boys and girls on their way from St. Andrew's Schools in Hatton Garden to the Foundling Site, the boys to play football and the girls to engage in basket-ball and other games. .
Before the school children of this neighbourhood were given, temporarily, the use of this magnificent playground, such games would have been impossible, for none of the schools in this crowded area has any adequate playground. If only this site, where children have played so long, could be seemed for their use as a playing field permanently ! This might be, if people knew of the opportunity now offered, and realized that the purchase of the land must be effected soon, or the chance of securing it as an open space will be lost. Lord Rothermore has done and is doing his part, and the Committee have worked hard to raise the sum required.
Will not more of your readers send a donation—twenty-five shillings will purchase a square foot—to the Secretary, Foundling Site Appeal, 93 Guilford Street, W.C. 1 ? Then, the sum raised and the ground secured, thousands of boys and girls will bless the kind donors, and Captain Thomas Coram will be worthily and fitly commemorated.—I am, Sir,
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