The weekly Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1911-1922, 1911-09-21

hot De out OIL pace.
l. Let me say here that | do not
wish or intend remarks to apply
only to the more coneested districts
in the large cities, for the problem
Of this paper most surely concerns
not them alone. 1t is often easier to
peak of the more remote in time
or place. But what of life today. and
right here in Plymouth?
Right here this evening. each one
of MS will distinctly remember how we
rot eur "good start, and of how
The succeeding years have unfolded
to us happiness. and well-being. and
treasure, and of how We have had
each good deal of fun after all.
and have kept up hopes. and have
bllilded. it may he ''better than we
knew and have witnessed the
downfall of thousand air-castles to
their utter ruin. and have "kept on
smiling"
! It would interest ne most OF all
Just to step this paper here forth
with. and listen as . where and how
YOU each took your recreation. and
how You have mana2ed to keep
up A little bit of my own expert
ence In early life Is as follows: Hard
work on my fathers farm. with
emphasis on the word "hard" as [
have always remembered it. such
as the country affords,in the
recreations by winter and by summer
in the woods. the country school a
mile distant, the playground. doing
the chores morning and evening
around the house and BARNARD. and
last and best of all in my memory
are the minutes snatihed from the
rest periods and spent in my father s
library. Let me pause here to rec
ord my firm belief that well-built
and generously endowed public H.
brary, with the various facilities that
it could offer would stand foremost
in Plymouth as public recreative
center. There are other things also
that any community can and ought
to do.
Various peoples have their play
festivals. Among the national holt
DAYS the French have their 18th OF
July. the Norweigians their day of
independence from Sweden. tie 18th
of May: The Swedes, their Oh
Germanic Midsummer festival: The
Germans have their turnerfast. an
saeneerfest. the Bohemians. leir
sokol. or turnines: (And Plymouth
its home-coming).
You and | we'll recall our gala
days, yes. red-letter' days. Christ
mas times with their feasts and
celebrations. Fourth of July and Old
Settlers picnics, and Sunday school
and even political rallies.
Parents and children. and the
whole population mingled together.
and we all knew that we had a
good time.
All such as these were the spon-
taneous expressions of jox and good
| feeling. These characteristics ought
to dominate in all recreation and
amusements, natural expression of
joy, and activity, extending to all he
people. wholly unselfsh, pure. and
| elevatine.
But We well know that such mani
festations as these are not arrange
so as to employ what leisure mo-
ments We may have to spend. nor
are they calculated to develop our
energies that they may benefit us
most.
| believe the time rs fast approach
ing when our recreations and amuse-
ments shall be as carefully planned
for as is now our education or our
religion. Already the church is COM
ing to recognize this. Our education
al system is making provision for it..
City. state. and national govern
ments are fast making great OUTLAWS
in this direction. And what c"r
society, better afford to do than this Z
1t is far cheaper than to punish
crime. 1t is indeed far more prof.
table than to harbor criminals.
If rightly done, it will meet a
ready response, and large returns.
"Play is more attractive than vice. y
A playground built today, saves the
building of Jail tomorrow. The
juvenile court ought to be deserted
for the public playground; and it
will be if we give the boy " chance
at the game" and provide him some
thing to do.
A playground and recreation GEN.
ter In the Stock yards district. Chi
cago has resulted in the juvenile
delinquency being reduced one-half.
Public Amusements.
Again ! SAY, and would erphasi7e.
that public amusements should be of
nnbhc interest. They must nat be
left to private enterprise.
They must not be left to those
who exploit them for commercial
gain. 1 never feel that condemna-
! ton is quite honest or just, unless
the one who offers it is at least will
;oo, 70 LoI,, -r,rox-,Jo HING hotfpr