Omaha daily bee., 1916-03-16
Health HINTS Fashions Womam's Work Household Topics
Play as Education
ny c. r. rHwING, LID.

President Western Reserve University.
The games which we have taught the
Fillpinos." said the director OF educa.
ton in the island. have done Tor them
moro than all the other civilizing in
fluences which America has brought.
Before we came TO the islands tho boys
practically had no games and no plays.
They had some simple pastirnes only.
The girls had even less than their
brothers. Tho games we have taught-a
dozen or more in all--have brought these
boys into their stronger and happier
selves"
Such testimony has value for other
psrtH of the world than the Philippine
Islands. FOR plays and athletic Games
stand for great things in the development
Of character and OF American life.
The game and play stand for team
work. The ball game means five men.
or nine mon. or eleven men. working as
ono man. Each throws aside himself as
a selfhood, putting that whole selfhood
into the whole mass
The game and tho play also mean
wholesome, inspiring rivalry. Rivalry
gives zest. interest, sparkle to life It
means vigor. enlargement OF power.
energy.
Furthermore, games represent imagi-
nation. The player i'm advance sees what
he wishes to gain Io also understands
the method for reaching the goal. lie
has az once vision and provision. In
| SEPARATION gives imagination, and imagi-
nation creates inspiration.
Games also are an aid in getting on
with people. They aid in the promotion
of proper relationship with both asso-
! ciates and antagonists. Games mean
| freedom from cantankerousness. They
promote adjustment OF personality to
personality.
Educated men who fail at all usually
fail either because of lack OF moral
| backborn or because they cannot get on
with other people Playing of games is
a training In getting on with everyone.
Every man who succeeds Is obliged TO
adjust his life TO tho morally lame. Ia
the ethicaly halt and to the intellectually
| blind
/ Without himself becoming feeble OF
near-sighted he has TO relate himself
! properly to hard conditions. Adjusting
himself to associates and to antagonists
he is disciplined to the promotion Of good
fellowship.
Games also. are a discipline in bearing
life's defeats bravely and life's victories
humbly. Such training is of special
value to the American youth. American
youths are inclined TO allow themselves
to be flung by defeat into the blue
depths OF despair.
They are also usually free to permit
themselves to be lifted by victory on the
crests of advancing waves of exultation
Either mood Is foolish The result Of the
playing of games should be a training
for sailing life's seas on an even keel.
A further value OF games and OF all
1 plays is seen In the bearing OF response
bility under the great law Of liberty.
Every game is more or less OF a free
game. Each player is obliged TO make
certain decisions, but this freedom is
regulated by the laws OF the game.
He is at once a king and a servant.
Responsibility, liberty and law are repre-
scented in every game which is played
The game trains one for the responsibility
and the liberty OF life. and also fol-
obedience TO law. The game is a micro
!; oosm OF life.
II should be added that all games and
plays property undertaken and carried
forward are a minister TO health. Health
4 is a by-product Of play, but 1t is a by
4 product which IL a larger value than
any direct result.
OF course. games in America and the
Philippines may be so played as to aug
ment evils. The evils OF the under-vaiua-
ton OF the spiritual and the intellectual,
of the generalization OF the physical, of
the elimination of life's serious purposes,
4 Of unwholesome antagonism and rivalry
are evident enough. But properly planed
and properly played. all games represent
the saner conditions and the safer and
stronger forces OF American life.