The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-10-17
BENNINGTON WILL
HAVE WINTER
RECREATION
Plan for Headquarters Announc-
ed at Mass Meeting
ADDRESS BY DR.. JOHN BROWN
interesting Talks in the interest Of
Recreation by Leader in the Move
ment and John A. Scheurle.s

Bennington is to have a recreation
center and trained supervisor this
winter, If the plans of the CIVIC
League, as outlined by Miss Hilda
Pratt at the mass meeting last night,
materialiZe.
Miss Pratt was the first to speak
at the meeting in the high school
room last night and gave an outline
of the work planned for this winter
in the interest of recreation. Miss
Catherine Combs of Duluth, Mimi,
who received her training at Madi-
son University will supervise the
work and the rooms formerly occupi-
ed by the Eagles over the Mulligan
G. Roche store have been secured for
the headquarters. Miss Combs will
not take up her duties until the first
week in November and because OF
lack of space, the indoor social privi-
leges will be confined TO girls, and
will occupy the evening chiefly.
During the day time, the rooms will
be used as a rest room and waiting
room for people waiting for electric
cars. The League has offered the
room on the third floor to the Kings
Daughters, to be used as a day nurs-
cry and they have appointed COM
mittee to look up the possibility Of
raising funds to secure an attendant.
If the money can be secured, ii will
be possible for mothers, who are COM
PEELED to be away from home all day
to leave their babies in the nursery,
where they will have care and atten-
ton.
These plans for municipal recreation
are not confined to the work indoors,
but the government plot of land on
South street will be used for outdoor
sports and an ice skating rink, where
outdoor recreation will be developed.
Permission to use the land for such
purposes was granted by the govern
ment last spring.
With the success that Bennington
has already achieved in the play
ground movement and the progress
sive spirit along these lines that has
been shown, the broader scope of
work that has been laid out for the
winter ought to be successful and re-
ceive the hearty cooperation of the
townspeople. Miss Pratt hade a plea
for the continued support of the pub
lie, which has been such an impor.
tant factor in the work OF the League
so far and spoke of the splendid OPP
portunity that Bennington has at
hand to continue its leadership in the
recreation movement'in this state
The League intends to cooperate
with the schools in the interest of or
ganized play and also with the Ben
nington County Improvement associa-
ton in its efforts along this line.
Superintendent A. w. Varney pre-
sided and introduced John A. Scheur-
lie. secretary of the Bennington Coun-
ty Improvement association who
spoke OF the plans of the Ben
nington County Play and Athletic
League, which was organized a week
ago and whose object is to foster the
play spirit among the school children
and cooperate with the teachers in
establishing supervised play in the
schools of the county. 1t has already
been tried successfully in the Ben
nington public schools and Mr. Scheur
lie congratulated the teachers and SUI
perintendent on the splendid results
of their efforts.
Mr.. Scheurle spoke of the signifi-
canoe of play in the full development
of the child and the need of the CO
operation of the parents in this work.
which the Athletic League is endeav-
oling to accomplish In this athletic
movement. Their efforts have includ.
ed the district schools and
II is their object to bring
the smaller schools on stand
ard with the larger ones in their
play and to inspire healthy competi-
ton among the schools of the coun-
ty In athletics.
DR. John Brown. Jr., of New York
City. a leader in the play and recrea-
ton movement, who has been secured
by the association to initiate the work
OF the League, gave an interesting
talk on the importance of play and its
significance in the mental, moral and
physical development OF the child.
He said the natural instinct for play
in every child should be fostered by
the parent and that oftentimes, the
lack of influence Of the parent over
the child was due 70 the fact that
the parent did not take enough inter.
est in its play. Play is a part OF
the life Of the child and the play
spirit is acquired In childhood and
determines its character in after
life.
From vital statistics and charts
Dr. Brown showed the effect Of recre
alton on health. which he spoke Of as
great national resource. which
ought to be conserved. The people
In the cities are awake to this fact
as is shown by the decrease in the
death rate in the city, while in the
rural communities. II has been stand