The Washington times., 1914-05-04
By MISS MAY LIBBEY.
effect of the street.

There are a number OF recreation
clubs in the Grover Cleveland School.
which stands as a social center in
which / am one of the directors,
are for the younger children of the
first, second and third grades. These
clubs were started three years ago,
and are managed entirely by volun-
teer workers. Assisting me In the
work are Miss Alice Keyser, Miss
Barbara Kaufman. and Miss Ethel
Norris, and we take turns telling
stories to the children, directing the
games. and doing the various things
that we have planned for the after
moons program.
The clubs are divided according
to the grades to which the child
rem belong. The first grade club
meets every Monday afternoon from
2 to 3. in the big, bright, attrac-
tive kindergarten room, where the
little chairs can be pushed easily
back against the wall when we play
our games. The second grade club
follows at O'Clock, and also lasts
The Daffy- fy-down-dilly Clubs" the
daffodil being the club flower. and
the badges. bearing the name of the
club, of the same color as the flower.
About the same program Is foliow-
ed with both groups OF children
The third grade club Is entirely De,
voted to story telling. and is cailed
THE Story Hour Club 1t meets
the same afternoon after school
hours.
Amuse and Instruct.
The object of these recreation CLUBS
is two-fold; to entertain and amuse
the children, but at tho same time
to offset the influences of the street.
by constantly holding high ideals
before the children. and through the
opening exercises of the clubs. and
the games and stories, or whatever
means we use for entertaining them:
to instill a spirit OF kindness, good
will and cooperation among the
members. We are trying to plant the
seeds of service, and brotherhood;
the great ideals OF this age and
generation, which will make out OF
these little citizens OF many ma
tionalities the kind OF big citlzens
that this country needs.
The average attendance at each o.
these three clubs is about thirty. Chill
dren are not obliged to attend; they
are simply invited to become members:
waich Invitation they seem denghted
to accept, and eagerly swarm around
the school entrance waiting Ior the
announcement that the club is ready
to start the afternoons program.
The children then march in orderly
files into the room. with n captain
for the girls line and one for the
boys line, both officers being elected
AT the monthly election We believe
in rotation in office. and SO each
month an entirely new set is elected.
The president and two vice pres!-
dents are seated at a little table
with all the other members sitting in
a semi-circIe around the presiding
Officers. Then the little president,
aged six or seven. rings a bell, and
stands in a very dignified position in
front of the table, while he an
nounces that the club is ready TO
begin The roll call follows, and the
members rise and give military
salute when their names are called.
After that the club motto Is recited,
namely: Each has a garden ir his
heart. Ny mother says our thoughts
are seeds. I want mine to be beauti-
full, and not Just full of weeds.
The meaning OF the motto has been
explained at various times to the
children, and flower thoughts and
weed thoughts are terms that are
now thoroughly understood by them,
and to tell a child that some action
Of his resembles a weed. Is SUI
ficient to make him wish to pull II UP
Immediately.
This spring the children have been
giving little reports at each meeting
of different flower thoughts that
they have observed among their