The Dickinson press., 1916-07-15
VALUE OF PLAY
AND PLAY GROUNDS

Play is often spoken of as a physi-
cal activity, but play is about equally
physical, intellectual and social. The
chief value of play, probably is that
it represents the old racial activities
climbed to civilization end modern
industries. 1t is ntaure's method
whereby the child may live through
the childhood Of the ace and develop
the motor combinations and skill, the
emotions, the judgment, and the will
in the same way that the rae has
done. Its educational value is not
for information; but as a training of
the. practical, emotional and social
life Of a boy or grit is much more
effective than arithmetic or geOgra-
ply.
The Use of Games.
The use of games and the various
play ground activities for both chill
dren and adults has a deep signifi-
canoe for the individual and the COM
munity through the conservation of
physical, mental and moral vitality.
Games of a positive educational in
| t1uence that no one can appreciate
who has not observed their effects.
Children who are slow, dull and leth-
argic; who observe but little of what
goes on around them; who react slow
ly to external stimuli; who are, in
short, slow to see, hear, to observe,
to think, and to do, may be complete
ly transformed in these ways by the
playing of games.
The perceptions are quicken
L nI. q ~ q WOW 0Nroo &c RI con rnNro r11Iok-
ly that the ball is coming toward him;
that he is in danger of being tagged;
that it is his turn; he hears a foot
step behind him, or his name or num-
Der called; he feels a touch on the
shoulder; or in innumcrable other
ways is aroused to quick and direct
recognition of, and response to,
things that go on around him. The
clumsy, awkward body becomes agile
and expert: the child who tumbles
down today will not tumble down next
week; he run more festly, lodges
with more agility, plays more expert
ly in every way, showing thereby a
meuro-muscular development.
The social development through
games is fully as important and as
pronounced. Many children, whether
because of lonely conditions CT home,
" through some personal popularity,
do not possess the power readily and
pleasantly to cooperate with others.
Many Of their elders lack this facility
also, and there is scarcely anything
that cay place n at a greater Gisad-
vintage in business OF society, or in
any of the relations Of life. The
writer has known ase after case of
peculiar, %unsocial, even disliked chill
dren, who have come into a new
power of cooperation and have be-
come popular with their playmates
through the influence Of games. The
timid, shrinking child learns to take
his turn with others; the bold, selfish
child learns that he may not monopo-
lie opportunities; the u2appreciated
child gains self respect and the re-
spect Of others through some partic-
ular skill thc.t makes him a desired
partner or a respected opponent. He
learns to take defeat without discour-
ag-ment End to win without undue
elatior. In these and in many other
ways are the dormant powers for So
cial cooperation developed, reaching
the highest point at last in the team
games where self IS subordinated to
the interests of the team, and cooper
alton is the very life of the game.
Most important of all, however,
in the training that comes through
games, is the development of will.
The volitional aspect Of the will and
it's power of endurance r plainly
seen to grow in power of initiative;
in courage to give "dares" and to take
risks; in determination to capture an
opponent, to make a goal, or to win
the game. But probably the most
valuable training of all is that of in
hibition-that power for restraint and
self control which is the highest as
pect of the will and the latest to de-
velop. The little child entering the
primary school has very little of this
power of inhibition. To see a thing
he would like is to try to get it; to
want to do a thing is to do it; he acts
impulsively; he does not possess the
power to restrain movement and to
deliberate. A large part of the diff