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

have been kept from their oppor-
tunity for normal play Both must
be conscious of one-sided-ness in
after life.
This is not a problem of any
single class or age or condition.
Among rich and poor. young and cid
alike. can the lack of the play-spirit
be observed. Men who live without
holidays or any recreation. women
who at best lead but tread-mill
existence come to take life without
any joy. or buoyancy or hopefulness.
and often do not recognize their own
need of recreation, and are willing
to work twelve hours day. seven
days in the week, fifty-two weeks in
the year. year after year. !" This
may be the man highest up, who
boasts that he mas never taken va
cation. BY this means. the volume
of work NAV not lie lessened. but
10 value has been substantially re-
duced.
The vitality of the individual is
lessened. and the physical life d.
minished.
1t is a sad story that is Rad ont
of the experience of the English
people. When the cotton mills were
multiplied over her land upon the
invention of the cotton-ein and the
power loom. England sent her clil-
dren into her factories anil mills.
and even into her mines in large
NUM- ers, that she might become
quietly T. ch. She forgot that in do
ing SO, she was taxing in the heayi-
est way possible the men of the to-
morrows. "The glitter of the gold
won bv her trade blinded England
to the pallor of her people. - Mills
and money were multiplied at the
cost of reu Decades followed de-
cades. and in spite of laws to pre-
vent physical ruin. the mighty ma
ton heeded not the warning that
was being Enthusiastically written
down for her. "The factories and
mills of England went on consuming
her human machinery
This is how Eneland's warning
came with emphasis:
"When England Pit her army in
to the field in the Crimean War in
1888. the minimum standard OF
height for her infantry was fie feet
six inches. Thirty years later. in
1899. the standards had teen lowere |
to five feet three inches. In 1900
when the transports were filed with
recruits for South Africa. another
inch was pared eff the height. and
before the end of the campaign five
feet i'll stockings passed muster.
Weight and eirth of chest had de-
creased correspcndingly. In the
l'oer War. fifty per cent of the
London youths who offered them
selves as recruits were rejected as
unfit. even after the standards had
been lowered. 5000 ont Of 1000
men examined in Manchester were
stamina or physical defect 1t was
: the stronger men from the British
colonies that at last had to be called
upon to decide that great conflict,
against the sturdy Beers.
Outside the armies, whose demands
are for great physical endurance. in
all the various callings and profess
sions and walks of life. few people
are realizing in their lives the great
est amount of efficiency, and JOY, and
life-power. In the face of the great
numerical development Of our race,
Especially among the lower classes of
society, thereby multiplying its evils.
we must recognize and attempt to
answer the need of an intensive de-
velopment toward complete and
: well-rounded life for all. Society s
ways must be amended to he as wise
as those of the farmer who makes
the acres he has produce more, per
acre, or as the builder who rears a
FIVE story building, instead of spread
ing five one-story buildings over the
larger space required.
Recreation of the right kind will
also reduce immortality and crime,
with the child, or youth. INSIDE
neanor comes from energy misdirect-
ed on unguided, or leisure time i'm
properly utilized.
: For example, in Chicago on t..
: west side. where formerly, childr>s
of foreigners, Italians, Slavs, etc.,
engaged in rough and tumble fights
characterized by good deal of race
! spirit, now basketball, swimming
pools, and various play devices make
them live up side by side, in hearty
cooperation, or in friendly rivalry.
!, The establishment of a playground
and recreation center brought about
: this marvellous change. Now, they
fight athletic battles. with an athlet-
/ c director as the commander-in-chief
having under lis command, Germans,
Jews. Poles, Hungarians, Scandina-
las, Irish and Italians, all con-
tending for the glory of their side,