Law and liability of municipal, charitable, and private corporations for conducting recreation camps

382 Pages·015.365 MB·English

by  Freeberg, William H

LAW AND LIABILITY OF MUNICIPAL CHARITABLE
AND PRIVATE CORPORATIONS FOR
CONDUCTING RECREATION
CAMPS
BY
WILLIAM HENRY FREEBERG
Submitted in partial fulfillm en t of the requirements
for the degree of Doctor of Recreation in the
School of Health, Physical Education and
Recreation, Indiana U niversity
October 1, 1949
ProQuest Number: 10295221
Al! rights reserved
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789 East Eisenhower Parkway
P.O. Box 1346
Ann Arbor, Ml 48106 - 1346
Accepted by the faculty of the School of Health,
Physical Education and Recreation of Indiana
U niversity as fu lfillin g the th esis requirements
for the degree of Doctor of Recreation*
DTre ctor of Thesis
Doctorate Committee: ^STZi^hairman
ACKNOWLEDGEMEKT
The writer wishes to express his appreciation
to Dean W.W. Patty whose counsel and inspiration
was of tremendous assistance in th is study.
To Professor Reynold E. Carlson and other
members of the American Camping A ssociation who so
generously gave of their time and effort in helping
to bring this problem to a more consistent whole.
In addition, the writer wishes to acknowledge
the thoughtful consideration and cooperation of
Dean Bernard C. G-avit and members of his sta ff of
the Indiana Law School in the development of the
problem here presented.
W illiam Henry Freeberg
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter Page
PART I
I. INTRODUCTION ............................................................... 1
Statement of the Problem .....................• . . . • 1
Purpose of the Investigation •••».••••• 1
D elim itation of the Problem .................... 2
Methods and Procedures ...................... . . . . . . 5
In General • • .............*....................... 5
Search for S ta tu te s ............ 5
Search for Court D ecisions ....................... k
Sources of Data ........................<> .• • • . •• * 6
Primary 6
Se c ondary ................................................... 6
V alidity .................................................................... 6
R elia b ility •« . . . . ................. 7
II. A REVIEW OF RELATED STUDIES .......................... 8
PART II
III. MEANING OF NEGLIGENCE, CONTRIBUTORY
NEGLIGENCE, REASONABLE CARE AND
NUISANCE .......................................................... 17
Negligence Defined ••••••*•<>• 17
Laws of Negligence • • • « . . . . . . . ............... 20
Unavoidable Accidents . . . . c . . . . . . •••.»<> 21
Contributory Negligence Defined 22
Standards of Contributory Negligence •• 25
Contributory Negligence in Camps ••••»• 21\.
Ordinary and Reasonable Care ................. 25
Conduct of Reasonable Care of Children 27
Nuisance ................... 27
Summary . ............................................... 29
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Chapter Paee
IV. LEGAL STATUS OP CAMP DIRECTORS AND
COUNSELORS ............................................................. 36
D efin ition . . . » ..........................• • • • ............... 36
Duty of Parents to Child .......................... 38
Parents R esponsibility for Childfs
Torts ............ 38
D iscipline by Person "In Loco
P a re n tis" ............................ I4.I
Statutory Control ................. Ijlj.
Summary ............................................................... lj.6
V. GENERAL LEGAL SUPERVISORY DUTIES OF
GAMP DIRECTORS AND COUNSELORS I4.8
Duty of Care Owed to Children •••••• Lj.8
Harm From Third Persons and
Animals ..................................... 3°
State Department Regulations for
Camp Supervision . . . . • • • • * • • • » . » . • 50
Care Required of Children •••••••••• 51
Children*s R esponsibility for
Wrongful Acts to O th ers............... 5U
Employment of Minors ...........................<>•••
Summary •••• 56
VI. LIABILITY OF CHARITABLE CORPORATIONS
FOR TORTS ............................................................... 62
D e fin itio n ..................................... . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Status and F u n ctio n ...................................... 6)4
Immunity Doctrine ................................... 66
L ia b ility of O fficers, Agents and
S erv a n ts................. 73
Summary ......................... 73
VII. MUNICIPAL CORPORATION’S LIABILITY
FOR TORT .................................................................. 81
D e fin itio n ................................................•••»••• 81
Status and Function • • • • • • • • • • . . . . • • 82
Governmental Function ............... 83
Proprietary Function ............. 88
C onstitutional and L egislative
Control ••••••*. 89
Summary ...................... 93
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Chapter Page
V III. LEGAL STATUS OP CAMPS, PARKS AFD
PI A YG ROUN D S ........................................................ 99
Status and Function .................................... 100
Fees and Board and Room........................................ 103
Parks and Playgrounds ............................................ 104
D efinition ....................................................................... 104
Perm issive Lav, ................................................ 103
Status and Function ............... 109
Nuisance .......................................*..................... 112
L iab ility of O fficers, Agents
and Servants ................................................ 113
Summary .............. . ............................................... 117
IX. LIABILITY OF PRIVATE CORPORATIONS
FOR TORT ............................................................... 122
Private Corporation Defined ............... 123
Doctrine of "Respondeat Superior" . 124
Doctrine of "Respondeat Superior"
Applied to Camping ............................... 124
Law of Innkeepers ........................................ 124
Statutory Regulations of Private
Camps ................................................................ 123
Local Regulations of Private
Camps .................................................................. 123
Acts and Omission of Acts of Servants,
Agents and Employees ............................ 127
Summary .................................................................. 128
PART III
X. LEGAL SUPERVISORY DUTIES FOR CAMP
PROGRAM ACTIVITIES ...................................... 131
Boating ................................................................. 132
Statutory Control of Pleasure
Boats .................................................................. 132
Charitable Corporations ......................... 134
Private Corporations ................................. 134
Summary .................................................................. 13&
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Chapter Page
Crafts ................................................................................... 141
Municipal Corporations and. Schools
(GovernmentalF unction) ..................................... 142
Municipal Corporations and Schools
(ProprietaryF unction) ........................................ 143
Summary ........................................*......................... 145
Free Play and Games ...................................... 147
Municipal Camps and Parks -
Playground Apparatus
(Governmental Function ) .................... 147
Municipal Camps and Parks -
Playground Apparatus
(Proprietary Function) ................... 148
Baseball and Badminton
(Proprietary Function ............................ 149
Summary .................................................................... 151
Horseback Riding ............................................ 151
Statutory Control and Health
Regulations .......................................... 151
Parks and Camps (Private C apacity).. 153
Private Livery Stables ............................ 155
Summary .................................................................... 162
R iflery .................................................................... 168
Statutory Control and State
Department Regulations ......................... 168
Public Amusement Parks .............................. 169
R ifle Range (Private) ................................. 170
Summary .................................................................... 174
Sw framing ................................................................. 1? 6
Statutory Control of Swimming ............. 176
Municipal Corporations
(Governmental Function) ....................... 177
Municipal Corporations
(Proprietary Function) ......................... 182
Private Corporations ................................ 185
Charitable Corporations ......................... 196
Summary ............................................................ 198
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Chapter ' Page
XI. 'LEO-Ah DUTIES IN MAINTAINING- a
CAMP SITE ......................... 208
Statutory Control, State Department
Regulations, and Local
Ordinances ................. 209
D efinition or "Invitee'1 ......................... 212
Duty of Care Owed to an "Invitee".. 212
G-rounds ...................... ,14
Natural Terrain .............................................. 2I4
Trees, Shrubs, and Stumps .................... 216
Rubbish P iles ............ 218
Excavations and Holes ............ 219
Buildings and Equipment ......................... 221
Buildings Defined ........................................ 221
Tents and C ab in s ............................ 221
Innkeepers . . ..................................................... 223
Municipal Corporations ....................... 223
Maintenance R esp on sib ilities of
Lessor and Lessee ........................... 223
Summary ................... 225
XII. HEALTH AND SANITATION ............................... 229
Federal Health Control .............. ........... 229
State Health Control .............. 230
Local Health Control . .............................. 232
Health and Sanitation Regulations . 233
Contagious Diseases .................................... 2^4
F irst Aid ............................................... 236
Food and Food Handling 237
Inspection and License . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Sanitation .......................................................... 241
Summary ..................................................... . . . . 243
XIII. TRANSPORTATION ...................... 252
Carriers ................. 253
Common Carrier ................... 253
Private Carrier ............................. 255
Statutory Control ...................... 256
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Chapter Page
Charitable Corporations .......................................... 261
Municipal Corporations
(Governmental Function) ........................... 265
Private Corporations .................................................. 266
Summary ........................................................... 267
PART XV
XXV. CONCLUSION ............................................................... 271
GLOSSARY.................................................................... 280
TABLE OP CASES, ARRANGED BY STATES .. 285
BIBLIOGRAPHY ........................................... 216
APPENDIX A - GENERAL TYPES OP
LEGISLATION AFFECTING RECREATION
CAMPS....................................................................... 324
APPENDIX B - CAMP STANDARDS ADOPTED
BY THE AMERICAN CAMPING
ASSOCIATION ....................................................... 329
APPENDIX C - KIKIfera: STANDARDS FOR
WISCONSIN RECREATION CAIR’S .................. 338
APPENDIX D - REPORT OK HEALTH AND
SANITATION NOR RECREATION CAMPS . . . 350
APPENDIX E - HEALTH PERMIT POR
OPERATING RECREATION CaMPS .................. 355
APPENDIX P - SAFETY REGULATIONS FOR
BOATING.................................................................. 357
APPENDIX G - REGULATIONS FOR BATHING
BEACHES ......................................................... 361
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