At the end of the afternoon yesterday, there were more than 100 people enjoying the South Common—dozens of kids swimming in the blue pool, more young people running in races, small children at the playground, basketball players on the court, older health-walkers from Bishop Markham Village, people taking their  big and small dogs for a jaunt, the chair group under tall pine trees on the Thorndike Street slope, the Summer Street sidewalk hangers, several teenagers practicing long-jumps, and more.