New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-02-12
WHEN CHILDREN PLAY.
Groom Ups Nag Learn Many
Things from Tots.

when he is at play is the only time the child Is
absolutely free" said Mrs Franklin Y. Hooper,
speaklng on The Meaning % Play" at an ecuca-
ronal conference 1T the Brooklyn Institute yeste1-
day afternoon. We speak Of the perfect freedom
q the Kindergarten but that is only comparative.
Therefore. great deal can be earned Of children
by watching them in their play
The first principle Of play is activity Play IS
fn fact the response TO the necessity for activity
The earliest games indicate the force in the child
which irn2els him 20 activity
The next invaratie feature Of chldren's play
Is TIE tendency 10 initiate. The child reproduces
the life around hi-a- The first principle OF play.
-tivity. Implying physical activity. has re-
oelved fun recognition. think. from educators and
parents. Games and sports are now carefully
MANNED wiki view - the physical development
n the growing girl and boy Within dozen years
tennis courts and golf links have become common.
cities even constructing them for public use.
When ] was q girl croquet was IN vogue II
never possessed any attractions Tor me. as Il I'm
piled too much standing stu But vas very fond
~ rowing In my taste for active exercise
found myself midway between two sets 81 girls
One ~ them was attracted 20 the sports liked and
The other thought them little unladylike. There
fore think this must have been transition period
Tor to-day no Young woman looks asksnce at active
sports. The modern young woman in her com
Portable shirtwaist and short skirt. takes one oar
as a matser Of course. and the young man accepts
it as 2 matter OF course.
This shows that the spirit q play has thor
ourhly inbued us The value q games and exer-
else Is ACKNOWLEDGED and the next generation OF
women viii show the effects very markedly.
THEIR VARIOUS GAMES.
But We were speaking a the games q llt-le
children. These reproduce the atmosphere OF the
home life and the street life Every child has a
hero among HIS playmates. ! VIII confess that my
own feelings toward a large rather coarse. boy
were considerably modified by the regard IN which
my little girl held him. The instincts OF children
ere apt 10 he right. once when 7 was a small
child IL 50 happened that 7 was the only girl IN
the primary school. There was only one boy in the
school whom I would permit TO draw me 70 school
on my Hled. lie was great shockheaded Irish
boy. and even my mother could not understand my
strange fancy for him. But ] always insisted tina,
he was a very nice boy. and 7 liked him. A few
years ago went back to tho village where was
born. and IL pleased me 70 find that my childish
judgment OF Michael Sullivan had not been mis-
taken He had turned very nice boy indeed. I
fotnd that he had become a musician. a composer
and an orgsuist IN OF the large churches Of the
country. Chiidren's instincts sense things some
nmes, that older people cannot see.
The orderly life of the well conducted home IS
100 tame for reproduction generally. The children
must be very unruly, the parents very severe. II
they play school, there always the most stormy
times. The teacher always carries a stick the
pupils are always badly behaved This is due to
the childs dramatic instincts lie wants strong
effects Children recognize the inherent reasonable
ness q certain provisions OF the game When my