The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1912-09-06

Play. IN discussing play and play
grounds with Nou Tor the time as
lsiened me ! desire 10 call YOUR atten
ton TO a consideration OF the mea 3
ing and value OF play 70 the child, tC
the necessity for play in the normal
development of children To the so
ciolizing Influence of play and TO the
value OF play TO the community
PROT lanes in his psychology Vol
II. Page t21 says The impulse TO
play n special ways IS instructive \
boy can no more help running after
another who runs proyokiRgly near
I him, than a kitten can help running
after a rolling ball" Dr Partridge in
Gentle Philosophy OF Education, pub.
lishcd May 1912, says plays must
be regarded as the greatest OF all edu-
cationai forces, the foundation OF edu
lca,ion Play is one of the magic
words in the new education The prob
lens ol play are now open all along
the line in education and one OF the
greatest of an practical problems is
how to make the most OF play ia
teaching the child not only in The
kindergarten, but Oh upward in ey-
cry grade OF the school system
When we stop to think of ii do We
know Of gay animal whose Young do
not play? Does not youth seem 90
be a period fur play? One author goes
so far as 10 say that children are
young because they play And not
only does it seem lhat youth is the
period for play but We notice that as
We 20 from lower 10 higher forms of
animal life the period OF youth is
heightened Not only this but rom a
careful study of the games and plays
OF animals and children We get some
carefully defined ideas or theories as
to play.
Herbert Spencer said that play was
lne time for giving vent 10 surplus
energy. But TWO later theories seem
more nearly correct. One says that
in play children are living over again
the life Of the race and the other
SAYS that in play the child is praetic-
ing for the life il Is TO live Both
seem to contain clements OF truth.
Children az certain ages take de
light in certain games and plays. Lat
er these have no charm and stlll
others take their place And this
change shows that play is essential
10 the proper development OF The
child PLAY practices not only Uhat
IS coming but also what has long
since past Play exercises decadent
and rudimentary organs which viii
never come TO maturity al all. butt
which viii have a short period of ac
dYitr, viii serve 10 stimulate otuer
md more lasting functions. and VIII
hen die out or remain mere traces
in mental lie. But play serves an ali
important. function, Tor Ill pre- ares
he way TOR the higher stages Saws
Hall In play. every movement is
alive with hereditv We renearse in
Il the lives Of our ancestors We live
over again their practical deeds.
rhe game OF ball appeals 10 the past
history OF the race-skill in throwing
vas no doubt very necessary ac-
for our unciyilized an.
'estors in ,neir crude attempts 10
yrest from unmastered surroundings
! livelihood This is why the heart
If youth SO goes out in play In IT.
ne seems 10 remember the life OF the
ace, and to revert to an age before
work began
so essential is piay 10 the indiv
dual deyelopmenl Of the cEild, to his
ocial and industrial efficiency that
he believers in play and Fairgrounds
,ili agree with a prominent play ad. ,
ocate who says The boy without !
play ground is father TO the man i.
,thout job AS adults get older :
here is tendency 20 forget what q
lay means TO children Some pe0- a
lie are inclined 70 think that play
an be crowded out and no harm re- t
ult Now nature can not be forced
D much advantage Just as the hui 1
ran being In the course ol embryonic
eyelopmeni passes through certain Z
lainiy marked stages. at one time
esembling the fish embryo, at an :
ther that oi the dog, at another that !,
I still other animals and, lastly. be ~
le differentiated as that Of the hui /,
ian being, and just as hese stages, !
ossiblH explained as tue recapitaid- G.
on Of the past racial history. can $
OF De omitted and normal develop n
tent result, So does 1t seem that in "
le Dosi-natai development Of Tine in- a
ividual instinct had guided him 50 q
lat, given tie opportunity he win 50
lpply games and PLAYS bringing 10 q
'oper development his entire pnysi g
Il being such normal adjustment
necessary and nature through I'D II
met has made provision for it, 1t o'
well 10 remember that the human lu
ce has developed mostly Ia close y
uch with nature Only modern life -,
IS imposed barriers and led us FAR ~
lm natural conditions for develop I.
ent +,
Not only does play have such value tf
developing the individual FOR him IN
Il 0ut il mas equally sreat value in Ia
yeloping him for the communtg dc
r society From the time ol the tc
eeks down 70 the present time tb
ere have been Two great Problems -sii
education defned-one individual m
ic Jne other ius,ltutionalistic ds
f development of HE person lor
nseit and for society, and as lie So
comes more complex more atteH
n VIII be giVeu 10 the latter phase a
'he problem, than has eyer been Es
ne before ~