The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1913-08-21
THE PLAYGROUND.
Written for The Gazette Times by
Winifrnd NJ. Smith.

Playground movement 1t is biancI
of physical training that is being mos
discussed at this time.
In this paper | hope to give tht
reader a better idea of the meaning
and aims of playground and the
progress of the movement during the
last few years.
Teachers should become familiar
with a few interesting games and he
able to properly supervise the same
For small amount place in a
country district could be fitted out
where such games as basketball, +,
German bat-balI vollev- ball and
several relay games may be plyed. If
the teacher learns how much easier
pupils may become inter ested in their
school work and how much more may
be ACCOMPLISHED through the medium
of the playground she will be anxious
to join them at recreation periods and
make school one of the most interest
ing places possible for them. She
shoull make it so interesting that
intsead of being glad to miss day at
school they will go through almost
anything for the sake Of not missing
it. Fifteen minutes exercise in the
open air means one hundred percent
more than fifteen minutes exercise in
the school room.
How anxious are we to see that our
horses. cqttle sheen etc. are given the
best care so that we may realize top
prices on the market. OF how much
more value are our boys an girls Is
it not through the works of our great
est men and women that we have
attained the present high standard of
civilization? Aud are not some of
Out greatest problems of to-day to be
solved by those who are now attending,
or should be attending our schools?
Let US consider the place in the
world that the child has occupied
One hundred years ago the boy and
girl found sufficient room TO grow up
in the big broad land where quiet and
freedom had lease. Later the in
dustrial and social demands increased
SO RAPIDLY that the child was lost for
the time with little breathing room,
and almost no play room.
In the city every inch of ground
was utilized for railroad tracks or
factories. Where was the place fer
the child? He even last his most
precious birth right, the back yard
often termed his paradise of adven-
ture. Even the streets were closed
to him Street car tracks ran down
the center, heavy wagons along both
curbs, and machines on all sides. AS
the President of the PittsburQ Play
ground Association once said to the
people Of Chicago, ''You need a place
f)r your children to play, You have
not thought of that. Your city is a
mere work shop. Men live there,
Children are born there. You send i
hem to the hospital when i'll, to the
country when convalesent and you
lever even think of them when well. +"
Tie country boy experiences the
sme misfortune as the city boy, for
low the fragrant flowers replace the
III poards that mad9 such fine tits
nd big round barrels that aft ,rds an
EXCELLENT hidiug place, are gone. The
iris and BOYS had very little chance
0 play until within the last few years.
People are beginning to realize that
part of boys education must be
ad in the open air, and the progress
f the great movement in the last
welve years has been wonderful.
By playground we mean large,
pen space provided with tilts, swings
ennis courts, basketball courts and
and boxes where children may be
,ept happy and at the same time re-
eive a normal preparation for life,
10Th physically ana mentally. The
playground means more than simply a
Dlace to play, VIII ere all the bad
may be carted to be kept out
If the dirty streets.
Many games. if well taught, j)y-
'Ully tell the child the lesson that is
o be gained from books onlv through
iresome, uninterestng study. For
many games teach observa-
ion and deduction as does James
'sycol 1gy, the great lesson of life.
you must do it Just right. or you
will fail " This knowledge comes
trough games and brings mental ac-
uracy as do the numberless books of
/ wonder how many
linds coincide with mine when | say
hat the only lesson | WELL remem-
er in geometry is this:I will have 5
D biseet that angle just right or /
ill fail"
The Playground means a place
here the boy NAV learn his rights
nd those of mis- play mates a place
here he may recognize right from !