Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1917-04-05
East Side
WELLER MAKES
T. STIRRING TALK
Playground Expert Delivers In.
teresting Lecture at Mass
Meeting Last Evening.

ton of America. in charge of the Min
nesota campaign. delivered at a mass
meeting held in the Commercial club
rooms last evening.
Our break and imminent war with
Germany challenges America to take
stock Of her physical powers" declar-
ed Mr.. Weller in his address. "Of our
what of our efficiency. Are Ameri-
cans as fit as they should be? Are
they schooled to team play, to follow
leaders. to accept discipline?
Military training Is likely to gain
a great impetus from these unavoid-
able questions. But. is military train
ing the only way, or even the best
strength, team play. and physical eff
fciency?
Wellington said, The battle of
Waterloo was won on the play fields
OF Elton and Harrow Must not AM
erica's winning powers depend mainly
upon Fairgrounds, recreation centers
and vigorous activities for the leisure
hours Of all our people?
Require Recreation.
"Where can young fellows in your
town find evening recreation except in
the pool rooms, movies n in loaf
Ing?
- oaS Soui 'OSS III i Is wv
ing in place of the old-time, vigorous
games (such as 'pom-pom-pull-away,'
'duck-on-the-rods.' prisoners base.'
and 'run-sheep-run.D which have
largely disappeared?
Counting Rs hours Of leisure each
week for each man, woman. boy and
girl in your community: how many
leisure hours does your town have?
Are. these leisure hours liabilities o:
assets?
These are some Of the live prob
lens which the Minnesota movement
of the Playground end Recreation as
ISOLATION of America is striving to
bring to consciousness In the forty
nine Minnesota towns having 1900
or more Inhabitants.
"Man-making Is Purpose.
Not a undertaking but man-mak-
Ing is he purpose Of these questions.
Representatives OF this philanthropic.
educational association answer these
community problems in constructive,
practicable ways.
Your splendid high school: why
not open it as an evening recreation
center--letting II men and wom-
en- make things with your manual
training and domestic science equip
|, ments; organizing classes in dress
making, millinery. business branches
English; conducting soclals. singing
dramatics and all the varied activities
which make good people through
good tipIes?
Should Look to Schools.
Physical education in your schools;
why limit it to the very one whc
need it least--the star athletes? Why
, not see to it. as many other progress
sive communities do, that every pupi
has, every day. systematic physica
,heducation not formal, unpopula'
Mgymnastics only. but vital educatio,
; Through interesting games?
"Swimming in summer, skating II
winter, water sports, winter sports
coasting, skiing, winter c%arnivals, or
eanized 'hikes'-are among the man!
ways in which you might capitalize
your beautiful country and your in
MIGRATING climate.
, "Home recreation. If a r%esourcefu
} recreation director were employed h
or she might go to the home Of John
. rally his boy neighbors, m play vol
= ley ball with them In Johnnie's bacl
: ward until the game tool root there
The p%layleader could help Mar,
Jones. aged 13, to organize a neigh
I borhood party Friday evening. ii
= Mary's home. with such Jolly game
: as Up Jenkins Stage Coach ant
Magic writing
: Antics. in some Of your home-lik,
frame houses, could he r~ediscovered
the old trunks searched for costumes
and little plays enacted by the hom'
circle and their neighbors.
PA and Ma Smith could be draw,
in. too; they could pitch horseshoe
IN the side lot: they would enjoy vol
1 ley ball; dramatics, family parties
| Fathers n Sons evenings: Moth
!. orS' a nd no1y0htorc orforto IN ~ n~tS-
such activities could help the famil,
homes Of your town to revive thei
ancient power as recreation centers.
Park Question.
!. "As for your park, present an,
prospective; why adopt the parl
ideals of twenty years ago? why no
let our field secretary help you de
velop enough play-leadership to Al
your park spaces with happy human
rather than with shrubs and walks?
why no gardens. in the bacl
yards and other spaces. combining
work and play as they ought to b
combined? Doo1ey says: Play is worl
that you pay for the privilege Of do
ing 5@ {
"Your churches can be shown hov
to win and hold the young people.
Your street orner loafer, poo
room habitues. n other young fel
lows car be organized into volley bal
leagues. baseball and soccer football
leagues. Through church leagues
twilight leagues business men
leagues. o can draw scores Of peo
pie Into wholesale team play.
passive entertainment by the NOV
les will not hold you people so exclu
sively II they can have dramatics an,
other self-expressing activities 1,
which they can take part.
Foreign horn people among yov
should be enabled to make clear tn
vital contributions they bring 20,
from distant lands. In native cos
tunes. they might take part in a foil
dancing festival or in q Fourth of Jul.
celebration planned to show nationa
ideals.
"And. for the climax Of the recrea
ton year, in October or November,
great pageant or play festival. towar,
which all the recreational activities o
the year will be working. Have eigh
= or nine hundred people or more TAX
active part; all tho others look on
and nve or ten thousand visitors com,
to see your towns great history re-en
acted by a live. unified people," ,
? Following the address by Mr.. Wei
Ter, a short discussion was held. MI
Weller and Landon Robinson, who 1
connected with the playground ex
main In he city today to complete
arrangements for the work in thi
city. .
To Contest. Tonight.
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