Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-11-11
CURTIS BOOSTS FAIRGROUNDS
Tells State Teachers that Organized
Play is Great Institution.
PREVENTS DREAD TUBERCULOSIS
Playground Helps Form BETTER uab-
its, Develops Group Conscious
ness ana Loyalty and Makes
for Physical Health.


The third and last day OF the Nebraska
state Teachers association convention
began with the general session program
at tho Auditorium, where $500 teachers
assembled. Henry s. Curtis Ph. H., was
the principal speaker and declared that
the salvation OF American manhood and
tho maintenance of Industrial integrity
depended upon the future status of pIay.
Ho declared that we have no national
game. but kids games, because the older
people cannot play, and advocated in an
interesting argument organized play as
tho only means of reaching the needed
reformation.
AT the close Of the program, applaudcd
by 1908 teachers, Mrs. Orietaa S Chitten-
den's kindergarten trainers appeared in
the games ana dances and folk lore stunts
OF the various nations Forty assistants
and training teachers Of the Omaha
Hchools executed the fantastic and pleas
Ing performances, with Miss Helen HIT
at the piano. How Do You DO. NV
Partner The Shoemaker" Dance a
Little. Partner" annie in the Cabbage
Iatch,' Beans Porridge" THE Circus"
and many other games from Swedish.
Norwegian. Bohemian and German tradi,
ton were played TO the intense delight Of
the schoolmasters and the pretty school
ma'ams.
DIR. Curtis on Playing.
DR.. Curtis in his lecture prior to the
folk lore games and dances upheld or
ganized play as the only efficient manner
OF recreation for the young, saying:
You can't turn a vacant lot in a play
ground by simply calling It playground.
There must be organized supervision.
The purpose OF the playground is as
definite as the purpose of the school,
and as important"
Speaking from a wide experience with
children who strive to play whose desire
is thwarted by the city or their parents
an experience beginning in his home town
OF Worcester. Mass, and extending
through periods Of service In New York
washington and Chlcago-Dr. Curtis de-
clared that the child who was arrested
TOR playing IN the street and later be-
came criminal, was made so by the
delinquency OF the city.
city is Responsible.
Turn the cAildren loose to play without
a supervisor, arrest them for playing on
the streets as many towns do, and then
do not be surprised If these same children
develop into criminals. II they do 1t is
the delinquency of the city and the parent
that is the cause. and not because the
child is predisposed toward the lawless.
The city that does not promote play
grounds is breeding criminals The chill
dren who do not play where the rules
of the game are enforced will begin to
cheat and soon Will be dishonest-a dis
honesty that will extend into business.
"a n
big boy finds that cheating is unprofit-
able and soon he will respect the rules |
OF the. games and all the boys will have
a chance to play.
Mothers Losing Influcncc.
I've have no national game today. The |
older people do not play, as they do in
England. The games are the games of
children and we as adults forget them. |
Our games are transmitted by the chill
dren because we have forgotten them"
Referring again TO the benefits of or
ganized play. he said:
THE parents don't know what language
some Of their children use when they are
at play in the back alleys. The language
heard even Oh new supervised playA |
ground If in a poor section OF the city is
unprintable. But If you will 90 back to |
any Of these Fairgrounds six months |
after they are established you will find |
that this language has entirely disap- |
peared."
Purpose of the Playground.
The speaker declared there were three |
main purposes which the playground ac- |
complished-the ideal of physical health.
the formation OF better habits, and,
finally the development of group con-
sciousness or loyalty, which is known
as good citizenship in a city and as
patriotism in a country"
As the best means of securing physical
health DR.. Curtis pointed to the open air
playground:
II child is to grow up healthy and
vigorous it must be kept in the open air.