Imperial Valley press., 1916-03-11
Better Babies Week Is
Proved Great Success

The mass meeting at the Christian
church Friday afternoon brought out
a large crowd, who listened most at
tentively to the splendid talks by the
different ones on the program. AT the
close of the meeting Mrs Seymour
urged all to attend the benefit matt
nee this afternoon and see the prize
winning babies.
The schools have taken an active in
terest in the babies. Many instructive
talks were given the children by the
teachers as to the care of babies and
in the Commercial Street building one
afternoon was given up to babies.
Many pictures of babies from maga-
zines were tackled around the halls
and in the rooms the children brought
their baby pictures and guesses were
made as to the identity of each. Sure
ly Ell Centro can be proud of this week
Of helpful work prepared and carried
out by the executive committee with
Mrs. Bayliss Walker as chairman.
Playground Enthusiasm.
Written by Mrs. r. B. Vaile)
Mr.. Coe and his corps of teachers
are anxious to cooperate in the es-
tablishment of supervised play
ground. Why should not this COM
munity which is the exponent of so
many progressive and original ideas
take up with enthusiasm the progress
sive idea of supervised play? Are
there any who are not convinced of
its Importance? If so, hear what our
president, Woodrow Wilson, has to
say:
at seems to me Of real consequence
morally as well as physically that the
children who are growing up should
have spaces for play and knowledge
of how to play"
Hear Theodore Roosevelts words in
writing to the National Recreation
Congress:
Through the whole of life, from
childhood to old age, there should be
opportunities for the practice of those
forms of recreation which renew life
and make for the JOY of living. There
fore consider such work as that of
your association in establishing the
best forms of play, and in guiding the
expressions of recreation among our
people to be an essential factor in our
national life"
Note the following extracts taken
from an address delivered by Hon
Charles E. Hughes, ex-governor Of
New York state:
81 am very glad to have the oppor-
tunity to take part in the spread of
the gospel of play. We want play,
simply play, for our children. We want
Fairgrounds in order that we may
conserve the health of our people by
developing stamina, physical strength
through exercise in all the physical
activities. We want Fairgrounds to
conserve the morals of the people
Play gives normal youth fair chance
for gratifying normal appetites. II
is safeguard of the country and OF
the institutions of our government
Boyhood and girlhood must have {
vent in play. 1t is natural. 1t is
right. The playground will be
without any direct effort, one of tn,
regenerating and uplifting forces O,
the community. We want playground
in order that we may aid in the de
velopment of the sentiment of honor
If there is one thing that we neet
more than another, it is the constan
emphasis among our citizens of tha
spirit of fair play, y,Nthat willingness t.
give and take, that generosity in de
feat and that lack of assertiveness il
victory, which we identify with tru
sport and which is learned best of al
in childhood play on the playground.
Two addresses on the subject of rec
reation delivered recently in this tow
by Professor Crandall of Holtville an
Mr.. Locke, Y. M. C. A. organizer fo
the county, reawakened an interes
in the playground movement. Thi
interest has been quickened and SUI
plemeted by the Model Playgroun,
still on display in a downtown viii
dow. Not one, but many, prominel
citizens are ager to do somethin
1t has been suggested that the mo
feasible and practical way to ac. .or
plish something is to work throu.
the schools. If teachers and patrol
are convinced that supervised play
not only as important, but more il
portant than the routine of bo
knowledge now taking the whole til