The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-01-20
= HE HAsKIN = TIE B ~
SCHOOL RE- ALTON
By Frederic j. Hasi.in.


In modern seducation. recreation,
Is given place scarcely secondary
| to work. Athletics are encouraged,
not only as an amusement and q
means Of physical development; but
because they develop the grit that Isl
necessary to face and resist tempta-
| tfon. Games have been scientifically
studied and many that have long
been considered morally dangerous
because of the environments in
which they are sASmmonly found. 4
have been declared wholesome and
desirable in themselves. Thus the
billiard room has always been re-
garded as a danger to youth in the
! city, but billiards is d splendid game
in which high degree Of skin may
be developed, and the city OF Mil
lwaukee has recently placed twenty
five billiard tables in its public
school buildings. In the same way
the dangers Of the public dance hall
are met by modern educators, not
lby prohibiting dancing. but by pro-
viding school buildings with nova
BILE furniture, so that they may he
used as dance halls There are now
about two hundred schools In various
parts Of the country, which are used
for dancing in the evening.
motion Of this new ideal Of school
recreation is the department Of re-.
Icreation of the Russell Sage founda-
ton. This organization recently SCI
Ilected Springfield, ILL.,. as q typical
American community Of medium
sizes and sent two Investigators to
make a detailed study Of school re-
creation in that city.
They found Springfield to be a city
with plenty OF breathing spaces,
parks and large school yards, but all
most without organization or equip
ment for recreation. A study of the
local newspapers revealed what such
a condition Immediately indicated to
the trained observer-that there was
a great deal OF juvenile crime and de-
linquency in Springfield. "a
One case noted by the Investigators
was that of three boys between the
ages Of eleven and thirteen who
broke into a house, stole various ar
ticles. then broke into a school,
smashed the furniture, and set fire
to the building. When brought up
for trial, no one appeared to befriend
the youngsters. and they were sem
fenced for various terms. 1t was
found that one boy eleven years old
has already served sixteen montas
months for trying to wreck train.
The comment OF the average per-
son will be that they were very bad
boys, but the scientific educator sees
the matter in a different light In,
every. boy there is a large amount OF
the primitive spirit of adventure and
p1under. 1t is this which causes him
I to delight in, dime novels, and IN
playing Indian. This quality must
find expression, and If 1t Is not turn
ed in some Legitimate path, 1t will
livery likely cause damage The boy
scouts are an excellent example OF
how this impulse may be turned to
good account, and the above case an
instance Of how IT may run annclS.
| A boy whose imagination is fed ON
Diamond Dick while society compels
him TO water the dawn and run err
rands Is sure to revolt sometime.
The scientist also points out that
such an escapade indicates an un-
usual degree Of courage and initiative
i in the boy, while morally 1t shows a
lack, OF teaching, rather than an In
nate deprayity The prison may make
a thief OF the young offender, but 1t
is wrong to conclude that he was al
ready one potentially.
Such delinquencies as this are
ascrdbed directly to the lack OF prop.
er recreation facilities. .sRighteous-
ness can be raised by taxation, !. has
been suggested as the slogan Of the
movement for better school recreation
facilities. The modern educator ac-
cepts 1t as a fixed principle that NOR
| al disasters can be largely prevented
in any community by taking out Of
4 il the condit tons that corrupt, and
putting into 1t facilities for the nor
NAL satisfaction Of wholesome appe.
tites and desires.
But play is more than recreation;
1t Is self expression. Play may be
loosely defined as doing something
that you like to do, and the thing yol
like to do is usually the one fol
which you have special aptitude. In
q word, play, in It's broadest sense, u
the means of self realization, and al
such Is an essential part OF education
A boy with a talent for organization
may never discover the fact until az
ATHLETIC association, or other club, Ii
organized in the school. al girl ma,
realize a literary bend as the result
OF an amateur theatrical. Too otter
an individual piods through some
routine course of study, regarded al
stupid by himself and his fellows, al
unaware of his real. abalities. The
world Is full Of insists, and routine
education Is not the means OF pre-
venting them. It Is in the Joy ans
freedom Of play that individuality Il
discovered and developed
The study OF school recreation ii
Springfield began with the examdna;
ton of essays written by the children