Most of the programs were sports activities held during the summer months for school-age children. A notable exception to this was Doris Grabusic's dance program at Disston Recreation Center which was started in April of 1939 and continued into the 21st Century.

On January 7, 1952, Joseph S. Clark Jr. became the first mayor under the new City Charter and the Philadelphia Department of Recreation officially came into being. Its first commissioner was entrepreneur Fredric R. Mann. Mr. Mann asked Robert W. Crawford to come from Oakland, California to serve as his Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent. Together, the two men raised the standards of hiring and secured a professional staff to provide a high quality of leadership in the facilities. Mann and Crawford were also determined that recreation serve all people of Philadelphia and year-round programs were begun for women, pre-school children, senior citizens, the handicapped and the city's diverse ethnic groups.

Later in 1952, Mann left the department to become City Representative and Director of Commerce resulting in Deputy Commissioner Robert Crawford being appointed Commissioner. Crawford instituted a massive building program. He was determined that every neighborhood in the city would have a playground or recreation center.