University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1913-03-31

lieu lHtO tue IOOiH carrying luelT
chairs. They were the first grade at
the University Elementary School.
The chairs were placed in two rows
facing each other before the black
board. The teacher drew triangle
on the floor and scarcely had she
finished when two pairs of hands were
busy arranging rows of paper cylin-
ders, which the class had made and
decorated, in the triangle The game
was ten pins this morning, and every
body was eager to play.
Who won the last game?"
Half dozen hands went up. The
score and the winner were announced.
! Now where will you stand?"
/ A pair of bright youngsters stepped
off and regarded the triangle of ten
pins. After a short discussion they
decided on the distance and drew a
line.
The first bowler was given three
soft rubber balls and the game started.
Each pin counts point and each
player keeps his own score. Every
body helps him count, however. to
see that no mistakes are made. Much
attention is given to form and the
game is studied in detail. The aim
of the first ball is at the apex of the
triangle. The other two are rolled
from the angle at which the most pins
can be knocked down. OF course the
game is not just like that played at
the big ten-pin alleys, but it is just
as interesting to the players.
One little miss made a mistake.
What was wrong there?'
"She threw it," came the chorus.
In her eagerness she had forgotten 1
to roll the ball
Mariory Wins!
Marjory knocked down five pins /
with one ball There was applause |
Evidently this was a feat of uncom-
mon occurrence. Paul did not take
the balls quickly enough and half a
score of voices Immediately announced
him asleep. William made the high
est single score taking nine points
with three balls and receiving pro-
longed applause from ten other sports
men. But he did not do so well the
next time, and Marjory won the game
with fifteen points.
There was reat scramble for the
scores. Eleven children crowded
eagerly around the blackboard You
would never see that around an
ordinary arithmetic problem. Some
counted by marks on the board and
some went to the other side of the
room telling their score on their fing-
ere. The results were announced with.
incredible quickness. The players
took their chairs and went to another
room. The game was over. 1t had
lasted almost an hour.
These games are a part of the
c'hoOi WI n vi thtst littic OosS
girls. Besides ten pins there are ring
toss, bean bags and dozen other
games. They were taught to be noisy
instead of quiet. 1t is truly the school
for the normal healthy child. And
they all play-the first, second and
third grades and even some in the
fourth.
When you were a youngster you did
not go to school to play. In fact, if
you yielded too often to that natural
childish instinct, you were flogged
y ou were sent to school to learn, and
learn you did after a fashion. The
of reading. writing and arith-
metic was the end toward which you
were directed These were mastered
after ages of irksome study, but your
mind never could see how
those long words, doled out at the end
Of a pointer. could be applied to your
needs. School was an unnatural
s ';,te and every bit of instinct in you
But everybody said that you
die not know what vas good for you
and so yor went on Until you grew
up to the course of study you liked,
and ihcn it vas more Interesting.
Develops Normal Tendencies.
The young Of all animal species, ,
kittens pups. lambs, plas. 1t is only ,
natural tl,at children should play also. ,
The old method of 'raching does not ,
oaoern itself witt, lay oMop, as :
physical exercise and recreation. The ,
instinct to play has been smothered ,
in the school room. 1t is to develop ;
these natural tendencies in child play
and to enable children to obtain more
wholesome enjoyment from their play
taat Prof. J. l.. Merriam, superinten- ,
dent of the University Schools, is