Connecticut western news. [volume] (Salisbury, Litchfield Co., Conn.) 1871-1970, 1907-12-19
STATE FAIRGROUNDS.
Scheme to Benefit the Youth OF
Missouri.
INSTRUCTOR TO BE APPOINTED

University of Missouri Will Send Him
Over the State to Promote Establish
nent of Playsrounds-Physica Train
ing Course to Be Organised.
A new chair has been created In the
University of Missouri, the occupant Of
which will devote his entire time to
university extension work AS soon as
suitable man can be selected he viii
be chosen and given the title of In
structor In physical education, says
Columbia AIo) correspondent of the
Kansas CITY star.
His business will be to travel over
Missouri and give assistance In the or
ganization of Fairgrounds in the vari-
Gus cities and smaller towns DIR. Clark
w. Hetherington, the director of ath-
letics. has complete organization
planned which will benefit the boys
and girls of the state mentally, moral
ly and physically.
The new professor will not take up
his duties before the first OF January,
so DR.. Hetherington Is going to begin
the work by organizing playground
society in Columbia which will estab-
ish one or more Fairgrounds in that
city.
The playground is to be n place
where children of all ages may 90 and
find equipment and proper supervision
for playing under the very best sur
roundings. Some one will have the
grounds In charge and will direct the
play. 1t is not the purpose to lessen
the fun OF the boys and girls but to
increase the fun as well as the train
Ing that will come from 1t.
1t is believed by those having the
matter In charge that in most towns
many children get bad habits through
their play Boys and girls have an ex-
cess OF the spirit of youth which must
have some outlet. At present the chill
dren are forced to play In the yard nc
home, in the streets and alleys or on
vacant lots. Here they learn to smoke.
swear and form bad habits that re-
main through life. On playground
fitted up for the proper development of
the boys body and with a supervisor
who can watch over the grounds all
smoking. swearing and stealing can be
avoided, at least while the children are
on the grounds.
| For the children Ave to seven years
old will be fixed up swings, teettrs.
merry go-rounds. marble rings. places
| for hopscotch. places for running
jumping and other like games TINT
| tend to the development of the body,
Those little older will have more'
sports that tend toward athletics. Gro
quet, tennis, baseball. basket ball and
the innumerable games played with
basket ball and football will be ar
ranged for those having, the size and
strength.
In most towns 1t is expected that the
grounds for the children OF different
sizes will be separated. The cost of
| fixing up an outdoor gymnasium for a
small town where the land and grad
ing has already been done need not ex-
coed $500.
"It is In the boys play that he
learns the most and is most Free" DR..
Hetherington said recently. by care
full direction of this play the character
of the youth can be more Influenced
than In any other way"
Playground associations will be
formed first, and the grounds will nee
essarily follow. The. winter months
will be devoted to such societies In
towns and counties. Next spring, some
time In May, big playground con-
vention' will be. held in Columbia at
the university, where the delegates
from all over the state will meet to
discuss plans of procedure.
This work Of establishing play
grounds over the state is only the part
of a great scheme for the establish
ment of school for the training of
teachers In physical development.
This is attempted In the teachers col
lege OF Columbia university and by
the Y. M. G. A. training schools. but
these cannot supply the demand. Mis-
souri, university has already begun the
training of teachers, and in the cata-
logue next spring will appear a new
college. 1t will have q four years
course dealing with the theory and
practice of physical development and
care Of the body. 1t will lead to a
bachelors degree and will have
standing equal to that of medicine,
law, engineering or any other depart
ment of the university. Its purpose
will be to train directors of gymnasl-
ums, coaches and playground direct
ors.
The faculty will be In great measure
those already In charge of the work
at Columbia. DR.. Hetherington will re-
main the director and will continue his
policy of clean athletics. DIR. w. J.
Monilaw is instructor in athletics and
coach Of the football and track teams,
Miss Florence Della Alden is instructor
In athletics In the women's gymnasium.
A. NJ. Ebright is coach of baseball,
Isidor Anderson Is basket ball coach,
the instructor in physical education Is
to be appointed, and G. w. Burkhalter
is director In the mems gymnasium.
Besides these, there are several student
assistants. .... H.
The new college has a new building,