Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-14
PLAY NEEDED BY ALL.
Importance of Recreation to
the Old and Young.
ADDRESS BY C. r. WELLER
Grown-Ups Participate in Games Of
Their Youth-Had Point to
Lecture Theme.

recreation. the great importance of the
movement and the growing demand for
better facilities for play by both old and
young, was discussed by Charles F. We'll
Ter, associate secretary Of the Playground
and Recreation Association OF America,
yesterday afternoon at the home of Ar
thur J. Parsons, 18th and r streets north
west.
Before Mr.. Weller began his address
several youthful games were played by
the Srown-ups present. The experiment
was tried Of showing those in the au-
dience how much real play helped them.
Under the direction Of Miss Ellen Hope
Wilson. assistant director of the Wash,
ington Fairgrounds. between twenty and
thirty of the men and women volunteered
for service and took part in three games.
Mrs. Matthew T. Scott. president-gen-
eral of the Daughters Of the American
Revolution: former Secretary Of the
Treasury Franklin MacVeagh, Judge
William H DeLacy and others witnessed
the games. A space was cleared at the
front Of the room. and for thirty minutes
there was real fun at the meeting.
Games on the Program.
another called Jump the shot" were
among those on the program. In the
first the men and women formed a circle.
with some tenpins in the center. and tried
to push each other into the tenpins. The
one who was caused to knock down a
tenpin was poisoned" and had to stop
playing. In the second game Miss Will
son stood in the center with q ball tied
at the end of q long rope and swung it
around few inches from the floor. Ev-
erybody had to jump to avoid 1t, for they
were "out" If the rope twined around
their ankles.
The same people took part In most Of
the games, and by the time the end was
reached all were much overheated and
very much tired. Mr.. Weller played
and he was ''winded' like the rest. All
were laughing, however, and declared
they had lots Of fun"
Mr.. Weller, who was identified with the
starting of the Washington playground
system, spoke about What is Happening
in American" He outlined how hours of
work are being shortened and how in
more leisure for people and allow them
to enjoy their leisure more.
Il feel that we are standing on the
edge of social movement which few Of
US apprehend." he continued. THE next
few. years Is to see a life and death
and materialism. We have learned that
material prosperity does not always carry
with it spiritual advancement.
In the United States there Is q de-
termined movement to lift the burdens
from the poor and unfortunate"
People Turning to Recreation.
Mr.. Weller declared that the people are
learning more and more to turn to the
recreation movement for relief It is cer-
tain. he said, that this movement is
growing more important every day. There
Is not city In the United States. he
declared. where the recreation movement
does not concern more people than the
educational movement. Recreation Is des-
tined to occupy a central place in the
thought of the nation.
Children seem to be stopping play he
continued. We find a large number Of
children in the cities who do not play
as children used to-
Think of the recreations we have
Most Of it is dominated by the Great
White Way in New York. the atmosphere
OF which seems to be filled with devils.
Sometimes in large cities 1t seems as
lead to destruction. 1t is stated that
100000 people every day attend the
moving picture theaters. The dance halls
Mr.. Weller said he did not want to
be understood as believing that there
was no hope for the country. He is not
a pesstmist, he said. But he declared
that there is great need for turning to
the recreation movement to better con-
ditions.
Needs Enumerated.
The needed American emphasis upon
activities. instead of conditions; growth.
Instead Of greed; fraternity, instead Of
class antagonisms, and spiritual life, in
stead of material profits. finds its best
concrete expression in the broadening.
deepening, popular philosophy Of the rec
reation movement he said.
The movement, he declared. has passed
the experimental stage. Since the Play
ground and Recreation Association of
America was established, in 1905, the
movement has swept the country. Thir-
teen new cities established Fairgrounds
in 1905 ffty-three in 1909. thirty-fve In
1910 and forty in 1911. Altogether, 533
American cities have Fairgrounds. OF
these, he said, 248 are in danger because
their Fairgrounds have no competent
supervision.
I'm the 2S5 American cities which had
supervised Fairgrounds last year. $4,000
121 were expended in maintenance" he
continued. I'm addition, twenty-five cities
authorized bond issues amounting to So
78b, 4O4. This amazing total, 81, 800 SOS,
is more than 1888 times the total cost of
all the work of the Playground and Rec
reation Association OF America. which is
guiding intelligence of the recreation
movement.
A chautauqua will be held in Elkton,
Md, June ola. A junior chautauqua
for children will be held in the mornings