The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-04-20
TEACH CHILDREN
BEST PLAY PLANS
Games Will Be Demonstrated at
Meeting Of Playground and
Recreation Association.

a striking feature OF the seventh
annual meeting of the Playground and
Recreation Association OF America,
which Will be held in Richmond May
s and 10 inclusive, will be great
demonstration of childrens games at
the Horse Show Building. IN which 500
children are to take part They will
be taught numerous fascinating games
by the recreation experts The as
ISOLATION is founded on the principle
that the right development Of children
demands that their amusements be
supervised and directed ns we'll as their
study.
But the association includes much
how to play. IT also aims to bring
other amusements than moving pie
ture shows within reach OF the peo-
pie who live in congested districts: and
TO provide exercise and recreation for
the business man who has forgotten
that such things exist
To Teach Folk Dances.
AS part OF the adult work of the
association. n class in folk dancing
Will be conducted for two hours each
day for one week preceding the con-
vention. This Glass will be undor the
direction OF Mrs. James j. Storrow
chairman OF the folk dancing commit
tee of the association. She also intro
duced folk dancing as recreation in
the public schools of Boston, where
It has become a favorite amusement.
The same note that predominated In
the Southern Educational Conference
that of the need for the development
of rural life In the South, will be en-
phnsized In the recreation meeting.
The possibilities OF recreation through
the rural school Will be one of the
principal topics. Those who have
found IL possible TO make the country
schoolhouse centre for rural edu-
cation. whether 1t be the old fashioned
one-room house. or the more modern
building, which Includes even high
school. Will tell what they have done
and how they have done 1t, for the
inspiration OF other delegates
For one week previous to the recroa-
ton congress, the recreation secre-
taries and those who have struggled
with the problems guiding the move
ment Will meet together for con-
ference. Equipment OF land buildings
and apparatus. games for boys and
games for girls, athletics. evening re-
creation, recreation for adults, com
mercial recreation and all the vari-
Gus problems OF administration Of a
playground system will be discussed
by those who have had experience In
these lines since the beginning of the
movement.
Philosophy OF Play.
One of the most notable attempts
at a satisfactory philosophy of play
is that OF George f. Johnson. who. Mt
the Pittsburgh Congress in 1903. under
the title. why Teach Il Child to Play"
answered forever to the satisfaction
OF thinkers on the question. He said:
"As child has an instinct for feeding
nm -Ht ha
as he has instinct for sleeping. and
must be guided as to hours OF sleep
and a bed, so. though child has the
instinct to play, that instinct must be
supplied with proper channels of de-
velopment and must be guided. AS n
bird has an instinct to ny. and yet
must be taught to ny. as every animal
horn as it is with Instincts which make
for its protection and development in
Its life and yet needs tho guiding of
those instincts. so play, the great ed
ucator of children for their future life.
must be provided and guided"
Other Meetings. Held.
Perhaps the most notable congress
which has ever been held was that at
Rochester. N Y. In 1910. at some of
the sessions of this congress more than
5000 people were present. Social
workers from NIL over the United
States. even those whose daily voca-
ton seemed to be apart from that of
the recreation movement. gathered to-
gether to learn of the relation which
their own work might properly bear
to recreation. and all felt that there
is no phase of social work which has
not some bearing rpon the recreation
problem. This has been even more
clearly brought to the attention of the
people of the United States during the
recent vice investigation.