Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-07-11
Public Supervision of Public Recreation


conditions that promoted il.
Public Supervision Of Public Recreation
The growing interest III what is
known as welfare work turnout the
country is occasioned By the conscious
ness that our social program is rad
ically wrong in some places at least.
Aside from the well known facts: that
we are as people busy with our
plans of commerce and that we have
developed tendency to run after the
sensational in everything even in re-
ligious matters. and because our de-
veiopnent has somewhat divided our
people into ella sses, social distinctions
if YOU like that better. that we carry
into every department OF life. into the
smallest detail of our busy days pro-
gram and into all the functions of rec
reation. But aside from this and be-
yond it the chiefesr reason. the most
vital is this: We parents are not on
the job training our children. We have
permitted the establishment of social
centers elsewhere in the community too
largely to provide for the needs OF our
boys and girls. We have not fur
nished in our homes the kind Of
amusement and recreation which our
boys and girls insist on having, es-
pecially is this true Of the boys.
And II is unfortunate for the boys.
the girls and the community that the
church mas failed to come 10 the res
cue in this matter. Here and there we
have 2 live school teacher who is
working against grsa: odds TO estab-
lish social center az the public school.
Such a teacher has TO whip the school
trustees into line as a rule. and then
try her Cor his) hand at dragging the
parents of the children Quito witness
a program that the children are to,
give. But for the most part none ex-
cep. the Y. NJ c. A. and an occasional
institutional church has come TO the
rescue The home has surrendered TO
the changed social condition and is
largely a boarding house for the young
people and a bank. So mHcn is pro-
vided down town and so little, some
times nothing at all at home, that 1t Is
no wonder that the problem of train
ing has been largely turned, over to the
school teacher. the billiard hall pro-
prieto-. the moving picture man. the
physical instructor, and for about ten
per cent OF our young people the
church and the Sunday school
In fact every public amusement fea-
ture. every recreation feature Is teach
ing our boys and girls something. y
learned the other day that certain
doctor in Cedar Rapids had faced and
solved this problem in what most peo-
ME will consider a verysInique way.
but which IL seems TO me was very
sensible way His three daughters
were always away from home, one
night at one thing. the next night
somewhere else until in desperation
the doctor sat down one night 20 figure
out how ne could keep them at home
some of the time. he decided To put
billiard table in his home and nave
them invite their friends to his home.
with the result that he no longer mas
any trouble keeping them at home But
how many fathers who are in po-
sition to DO so have the wisdom ana
the nerve 10 DO that. 1t Is because
they have not and do not. that our pua-
lie recreation demands supervision.
Young girls and young men welcome
helpful suggestions. they appreciate
every effort to improve their conhl-
tons: and it's much better. nuch
cheaper if YOU will look at the malteI
from that angle. and il is safer for the
city. 10 provide in this way TOR our
recreat ton than not TO. The greatest
,..r,. .ra- me home can do is to be
done in the first ten years Of childhood.
for gradually thereafter the boys ana
girls get away from US, until nnails
they consider themselves men or Wom-
en-. At IS they know more than their
parents. If YOU let them tell 1t. And the
wise satf.er OF mother will not wait
unit! their children are nearly grown
before telling them some OF the ''ai
things of life.
The scandal among high school pu-
pills that is happening In nearly every
town OF any size every year "outd not
happen IL parents had begun as ehey
should have done years ago 10 zen
the child what they should know. ms
applies to conduct, to SELF control reg
ular hours of sleep. proper care oi .ne
body. what how and how mucn 10 eat
TO the matter of dress, to the proper
division Of time as to recreation. ~
IA ct if the parents will get on 10 IheH
Job, setting good example anu ~
structing their children 1t Will heip
solve this matter OF character puiiuins'
but unless they do and until they 90
all nnhIic recreation viii need super
vision.
AND Where parents IL" 49,.
know how to do in the usual mattefs
OF conduct. right living. self-controi.
they should go one step farther ana
provide as far as possible for the neeas
OF their home in the way OF recrea-
ton. Music is one of the greatest oe-
lights OF life. so are games ana one
is as necessary to the proper develop
ment OF the child as the other. aitho
many people have not yet learned tha..
Those who have not are sending the,i
sons and daughters elsewhere Tor mucH
that could be provided in the nome. !