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


all this ado about playground nova
days? Why? Because the value of play
in the development of children is being
more and more universally appreciated.
We ask why have Fairgrounds I'VE
might as well ask, why does a flower
need light: Play is growth. The child
must grow, therefore the child must
play He needs playground because
his growth is through activity. What
useful obi ect does play accomplish? 1t
has been briefly answered thus, Play
builds the child. Muscles are developed
by USE SO also of the heart and lungs
and other organs, even the bones. So,
also, of the mind and character. Play
is natures prescription of the activities
that shall form the child. 1t is her
method of making him a man. The
child plays for the same reason that the
grass grows or the flowers spring up;
| for the same reason that he is here at
ALL
"Froebel says, The plays of child
hood are the germinal leaves Of all the
later lifc.' and Hall says, Play is the
motor of habits and spirit of the past
race persisting in the present as rudl-
mentary function of and always akin
to documentary organs, thus III play we
rehearsc the activities of our ancestors
back we not how far and repeat their
life work in sunmative ways. The
| pleasure is always in direct proportion
| to the directness and force Of the cur
| rent of heredity.'
I'VE are told thinking is developed
out of action not merely action in gen
era, but those activities that have been
useful for the preservation of the race.
"Clark W. Hetherington. of the
Playground association, puts 1t this
way, These pleasureable elements OF
the game represent in general way
the occupations man has pursued at
| different stages of his evolution For
example, in the Animal Stage comes
imitation. People have always called
small children, little monkeys This
is because small children like monkeys
initiate all that they see. Imitation IS
the fundamental characteristic of their
games. They act out the lives OF their
neoDle around them and the stories they
hear-swinging, climbing, sensations OF
tie feet.
"Some have thought that the pleasu e
of swinging is derived from the asso-
Citations with the swaying tree top
which linger in Our nerve cells ne
pleasure Of climbing trees and hang,
| by the hands may be derived from the
| same source. There are a number OF
pleasures and elementary plays derived
! from the sensation of the bare feet once
a valuable guide in the pathway OF lie.
Children love to go bare-tooted' 10
play in the mud with their bare teet and
TO wade in shallow water.
"Then comes the stage of The say
age Man. Under this head we have
"First: Elements derived from the
chase. Hunting and fishing are still
pleasant. Boys like to go on tramp:ss' to
build shacks in the woods, to build tires:
and 90 camping, chasing and fleeing OF
which tag is the most direct descend
ant but which enters into most games.
Running is more fundamental and an
Gent than any use of the hands and
arms, and has a mitch greater effect up
on organic development.
"Second: Hiding away and hiding, as
T spv.' An interest that develops early
and enters into many games OF small
children and pleasures that are nor
Games as in finding hens eggs, BIRDS
nests. etc.
"Third: Throwing missiles and dodg-
ing or catching them. Boys derive
pleasure from throwing at mark es-
Deciallv a live one as at the man VINO
sticks his heads through the screen at
"Fourth: Striking with a stick and
finding or lodging. This is an element
in all ball games. :. IT,
Next comes the third stage in the
evolution of man. The Life OF the
Nomad' Children have fear but also
an almost universal interest in and love ,o,
for animals, which are treated much IKE
other companions =. -, n.
"In the next stage we find the Pr'm-
tive Aoriculturist. Children love to dig
in sand, make mud pies, and later raise
flowers and vegetables.
1.-The Tribal Life stage come nexl
Savage man was driven to unite Win
others and savage families to hang :. to-
qether for protection against similar
host;le combinations. Here loyalty was
developed. All Our team games c.oseiy
aonroximatc these conditions and de,
rive their pleasure alike from Joy OF
the battle and the joy of comradesh'p
which accompanies it:
MANY games have been handed down
UNCHANGED for hundreds or even thous-
ands of years.
Besides the physical elements men
toned there are the social elements as
competition, comradeship, and co-opera-
! tion' and the mental elements, first the
iov of being the cause. This is one OF
the first characteristics to appeal, IN
the plav of small children. They love
to build M and tear down. to make a
noise or do anything where the effect
can be seen at once. This is one OF the
min pleasure motives in work, but does
not piav large part in games proper.
Second: Involuntary attenton-trom
its nature, play requires no effort OF the
attention and in consequence secures
higher degree of concentration and more
intense and prolonged activity than IS
nossible in work Third: A feeling OF
freedom. Freedom is characteristic; OF
Il