Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1913-10-09
OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL.

anxiety about the intellectual develop
. ment of our children, we have largely
overlooked or neglected their physica
needs. In these days especially when
the home no longer provides that reg
= ular prolonged, strenuous exertion that
the home of so years ago offered to the
boys and girls on the farm, doing the
chores. providing the fuel, working
about the house. which was the home
factory. clearing the land, hoeing the
corn, gathering the crops by hand, and
travelling long distances on foot. The
factory, the street car, the automobile,
the self-binder, steam shovel coal fur
mace, creamery, telephone, free mail
delivery, city homes and modern lux
uries have wrought a marvellous change
in our mode of life There is no longer
a demand made upon the physical or
ganism that is necessary for its full
development, Many people, perhaps
the majority of people, regard physical
development as unnecessary since the
demand for muscular exertion is so
minimized in modern life. But when
we remember that the heart, the lungs,
the digestive organism fact all the
vital organs of the body and the brain
and nervous system depend upon the
growth and development of the funda
mental muscular system, and that it
| is the lack of this muscular exercise
that causes the premature break downs
and deaths among our business and
professional men and women as well as
the semi-invalidism that renders life
miserable and unhappy, if not short,
we may well give heed TO the move
ment that is today fortunately re-
ceiving much attention at the hands of
educators, physicians, phlanthropists
and others, emphasizing the fundamen-
tai need Of children for liberal oppor-
tunity for physical education through
plays and games
No one thing is rlore essential in the
education of a child today than the
opportunity for supervised play. The
time devoted 10 play by our school
children is by no means wasted. 1t is,
perhaps even more valuable than is the
time spent at study. This does not
mean that fooling. giggling, story
telling and trick playing are to be toll.
Grated as substituters for down right
hard study. Far from it, Let there /
be WORK at the time for work and play |
at the time for play. And let that
play be vigorous, healthful, joyful,
physical exercise.
Our opportunities for supervised play /
at school are extremely limited, es-
pecially at the fourth ward, but con-
ditions would have to be much worse in
order to prevent play on the part of
the children if given half chance and
a little encouragement. Teachers are
expected to assume full responsibility |
for the use of the playtime to the best
advantage possible in the development /
of the children under their respective /
charges, and special credit will be /
given those teachers who succeed in 50 /
directing and supervising the children /
in their play that their physical educa-
ton can be regarded as on par with
their intellectual education in the es-
timation of those in whose hands the
future success and happiness Of our
children are placed during the period of
development.
High school students are as much in
need Of vigorous physical exercise as
they are in need Of thorough instruc
ton in history or mathematics. Their
future success and happiness depend as
much upon it.
Our boys are playing foot ball and
our girls are playing basket ball. We
encourage it. Not because of the fun
alone. not because Of the hope we may
cherish Of their defeating some other
team, but because Of the physical de-
velopment, and through this the heart,
lungs, brain and general vital develop
ment, for which such exercise is es-
sential. h. Z. GOTHAM.
We have finished the first month s
wo.k and written tests in all subjects.
The interest Of outsiders is shown by
their frequent visits in the class rooms.
The visitors Of the past week were
Rachel Jacka, Cora Stephenson, Mrs.
thinner, Russell Ryan and Roland Ross.
Both girls and boys Glee clubs have
been organized under the instruction Of
Miss Miller, and we expect them to APP
pear on several programs throughout
the year. The officers are:
GIRLS GLBE CLUB
President Florence Knight.
Sec. and Treas. Ruth Davis
BOYS GLEE CLUB
President Harvey Huztable.
Vice President alven Julian.
See. and Treas Thomas Crist.
The second meeting Of the Senior