Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-07-07
THE WORTH or PLAY.

ono Of the unsolved problems OF our
'rlvlllzation is how 20 maintain a con-
sistent balance between EFFORT and re-
hxation--between work and play.
Eearly every one that thoroughly or
rhoIe-heartedly engages in either Of
these activities. tends TO carry It TO an
extreme The worker tolls too hard,
likecps al II too long, sleeps too little.
Band finds scant time for recreation The
,devotce " sport and play forgets his
morn serious work and neglects his
business
We hold this truth, however. TO be
self-cyident: that all should work and
Fan should play. that work Is wholly
indispensable, and that play is as
I,proper. In it's appropriate place, as are
work and prayer in their respective
spheres.
Or. Bolln Of the state University
holds that In our age we must learn
To play. since VIC have quite generally
forgotten how. and that practical d.
rections and training must be given
| for the adequate use ~ Fairgrounds.
Preachers must be shown what to do AT
recess Just how TO begin. and what
J games to play. one morning this week
ltl1 the members Of the summer school.
about 900 I'm all. We're given prac-
teal demonstration on the campus ms
! To how 20 play a maze march. two
| little Swedish games called the carop-
sci and II see you" mass drill,
rymnastlc drill Of general character,
| everybody taking part. some Hungarian
folk dances, German May dance, etc
these were the kind of exercises sug-
rested TO the assembled teachers of the
public schools for playground exer-
cises
Strange as II may seem, children
should be taught TO play and may be
trained while playing. Many ~ them
are shy and take part with reluctance
in chldren's ordinary games More
over. these games, II not supervised
tend to degenerate and TO lose some OF
their best features.
Games are intended primarily for re-
creation; and one object, enormously
important In the belief OF leading edu-
Gators. OF modern physical education Is.
first Of all. TO furnish recreation, or re-
Taxation and change for overworked
mind and muscle a second object OF
such exercises Is the general hygienic
one OF supplying that quantity Of mus
cular exertion which Is found Ia be es-
! sentlaI to the physical or vital well be
I ing OF the Individual.
A third object OF systematic bodily
effort IL 10 provide an antidote TO the
one-slded activity Of the daily life OF
/ almost every Individual. This object
includes those who may have plenty Of
physical work to do. because such work
4 Is usually more or less specialized and
/ hence one sided. A farmer may have
I plenty OF work as 10 the mere quantity
I Of Il: yet that work may not be what
| his physical development requires II
may be one sided. monotonous, even
! harmful. The nnal object Is educa-
tional and consists In learning how to
use the body az an efficient tool OF the
| mind one phase is that Of supplying
n large amount Of sensory and VIII
| training. formerly given in the handi-
work Of the household and the home
industries Of the lreside, now displayed
nv modern methods OF manufacture.
The aim in placing manual training in
( the schools is largely TO supply this de-
fciency due 20 modern industrialism;
vet hand work Is specialized and IA
taken by only few. while physical
training seeks 10 put the whole student
body into muscular action.
Still more important, perhaps, is the
ethical phase At present we strive
10 teach good conduct mainly by pre-
cept-by proaching-and not by action;
but the playground Is real ethical
laboratory in which honesty Is en-
forced with peculiar power and with
ant and telling illustrations. Cheating
in games soon becomes abhorrent 20
real players, and is easily detected and
obiiterated To play fair becomes
moral standard. Honesty IN action is
easily enforced upon the playground;
and the development Of the moral con-
science comes quickly from the con-
niot OF interests there-from running
against the other fellows.
The main thing is to create an inter-
est. and this Is the aim OF the earliest
exercises. The final aims are those
greater objects above indicated.
This view Of physical education, which
we have derived from a talk with the
genial Doctor, seems 20 be a reasonable,
sound. and comprehensive one. "N'rom
the restless thoughts endeavor.' from
the trophies OF mart and stage" and
even IRON the streets rude hustle" as
James whitcomb Riley has said, let us
Ego where the children play Only
thus. We fancy, can youth be perpetu-
ated and life made longer and much
more pleasant