Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1910-10-23

ones who need the exercise and who I'M
der the system of the survival OF the
strongest were crowded out, are thus
given a chance. Directed play means a
Spreading of athletics from a few spec
ialists, who need it least, to all. the
children, including the weaker ones,
who need it most.
1.-The wise director teaches the lesson
of civic pride; first, pride in the play
ground, then in the neighborhood, then
in the city If it is in the chlld's play
time that the teacher has the best oppor-
tunity for character building, how neces-
sary it is that the child have playtime
teacher as we'll as d school teacher. In
school the child is restricted being, he
is a scholar and not natural animal.
but on the playground all his character
istcs come out. For several summers it
has been my pleasure to camD for week
with my Sunday school class OF boys.
! These boys are from the first two years
of high school, We rented cottage by
the lake and lived with nature in the
woods and on the water. These out
ings have been revelation to me. There
/ the boy showed his true nature. tie re-
vcaled his true characteristics, gencros-
| ity. selfshness. energy, laziness. They
have forcibly impressed me with the OPP
portunity afforded the playground
teacher for real character building.
Would that every teacher could know
her pupils on the playground as we'll as
in the schoolrcom. 1t works both ways.
1t helps the teacher as we'll as the
child. This is as essential for the rural
school as for the town school. ! ne
r,ral teacher should be trained in the
game. True the country child has
plenty of room to p1av but there is
ucarth of knowledge Of games ar
lays in our rural schools. Instead Il
the teacher spending her time at recess
buried in examination papers. let her be
out with the boys and girls and live
with them.
I'VE have recognized the necessity OF
play for children, says DR.. Gulick, but
the plav spirit demands its recognition
throughout life. The need Of develop
ing a new country has taught us the
necessity of work. We have yet to
learn the place play and recrca1lon-not
as individuals, but as social unlts-for
we do not live as individuals, but as
parts of a social whole We have well
coined the influx of the peoples Of the
world coming to us and carrying the
burden of our work. We have failed to
recognize or help them to retain those
national or racial customs which are
necessary to wholesome people. One OF
the most kcenly sought for cnJoyrnents
of those who visit the old countries IS
80 watch the people on their holidays,
HOLIDAYS that are marked by the national
dances, which are the most common form
of art which is available to all people.
And vet we ourselves here in America
have the same elements, the same human
feelings in demanding expression, the
some occasion demanding adequate cclc-
bration. but no form of social habits
which unable us to give suitable express
sion to them Our poverty in this dl..
rection is indicated by the inadequacy OF
expression in our people when they come
together for some special occasion, as
for example, in Our great cities after a
state or national election. There are
: fireworks, but for the most there re-
mains nothing to. do but to parade the
streets in hopeless tangle and chaos OF
people. we Have lc" dliu lll'uNq"o'~ ~
cial forms by which to express our
feelings
so here is another function OF the
playground. The Fairgrounds in OUT
large cities are for old and young. The
promoters have recognized the need OF
the play spirit throughout life; The
motto is, Something for everybody A
recreation house is feature of the plan.
In Chicago a great play festival has been
held in which large crowds OF the va
rious peoples of that city came together
each giving its folk dances, expressing,
The ties with its own past as well as
uniting with the other citizens in their
civic unity Why not have a County
Play Day? For two years we have NAG
county school athletic meet or f'eid
day. 1t has proved good thing, but is
not broad enough in its scope. those
participating are limited to the success
ful candidate for the events in the pre-
lminary group contests. Why not have
play dav for the old and the young OF
our cosmopolitan population. verltable
gala dav?' Our rural people live such
hard workaday life raising wheat to
sell to get more money to buy more land
to raise more wheat, that they have tail.
ed to see that the maintenance and
habits of joy and happiness are as i'm
portant for normal life as are the habits
of thrift and wholesome work. We are
told that Our city Fairgrounds with their
possibilities for child and parent are
blending and harmonizing Our diverse
population and developing them into one
people with common associations and
traditions and spirit of national unity,
competent for self-government. The
playground movement is one OF the
larger factors in an epoch forming ele,,
ment of human history. 1t consists OF
the recognition of the fact that lite
while absorbing nourishmcnt fol-. both
body and soul from without, really de
velops from within.
! 1t is not a special problem for those
of the north, south, east, or west; tine
rich or the poor; for those who live IN
the city any more than for those who
live in the country. The playground
movement is the answer to the tunda-
mental need of human nature, the I'M