New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1917-05-16
RECREATION MOVE
A NECESSITY $ NOW
GOVERNOR BURNQUIST. URGES
MORE ACTIVITY IN PLAY
GROUND WORK.
ARGUES THAT AMERICAN CHILL
DREN MUST NOT PAY COST
OF WAR.

alton and Fairgrounds for the children
and the: youth ehildren of America. and
especially Of the state of. Minnesota. The
chief executive has issued Al circular
letter, in which he declares that; because
an army is being raised and halt the
world to be- provisioned is no reason why
the work of the Recreation and Play
ground Association of Amemcaa should be,
curta.led. After pointing out some of.
the mistakes, made by the European
nations at the beginning of the war;, the,
governor says:
Not For Children to, Pay.
Should American children and youths
be made to pay an undue share, of the.
wars cost-thru lack of the leisure,
physical education, and reereaMunl which
are necessary to build up, the young
people of today int the efective4 citizens
of tomorrow?
I am told that some Minnesota. COM
munities and many individuals have
stopped short in work they were under
taking for the development of recrea-,
Gonal activities. Is; not this a. part. of!
the extreme, almost5panHky aomern,
which business men complaint of as cur
failing, unnecessarily, the normal life of.
the people? Americans will not shrink,
from any needed sacrifices; hut, arethese:
really needed?
Need of PHYSICAL Edhcatier.-.
stOn the contrary, does not WEE time
make clear, as never before, the: f1nda-,
mental need for physical eduRati0nI for
such vigor, discipline, team play, and
personal efficiency as organized TeGea-
ton develops? Wellington. said The:
battle of Waterloo was won ON the play
fields of Eton and Harrow: To help
| win Americas battles, should we not do
more, instead of less, than usual for such
playground and recreatiDnd activities
as will give us ''clear minds ian STRONG,
/ bodies?"
"Was there ever such am opportunity
as we now have to develop ndealsna, UNI
selfshness, unity of spirit, and all the
j Joyous consciousness of noble, efficient
citizenship intent, supreneN, upon the
common good of all the people3 Should
we not summon this fraternal spirit of
good will to express itself In community
recreation movements? Is not this one
of the best ways, one of the Indispensable
ways, in which TO strengthen and to
make perpetual the exalted American
spirit which now stirs us?
Necessary for Soldiers.
t'For our soldiers, recreation is one of
the most necessary means by which to
prevent deterioration and to promote
efficiency. This has been wisely recog-
nized by the War Department in the
recent appointment of a National Com
mission on Training Camp Activities .
Three Of it's six members have been
leaders in the Playground and Recreation
Add Recreation Move a Necessity ETC.
Association of America whose president,
Joseph Lee of Boston, is chairman of the
special committee on recreational &C.
tivities in communities near army camps
To this work the Association is nov
giving many of it's expert field secre
taries, including Mr.. L. H. Weir who il
already organizing, in the Twin Cities
this vital effort in behalf of the men al
) Fort Smelling.
) For all our people back of the fighting
lines, the recreation movement affords {
timely, fundamental means of strengthen
ing and unifying the School, Park
) Library and City forces of every Mime
; sofa community to supply the recrea
| tional leadership essential for gardening
hikes, swimming, outdoor sports ant
; games, physical education, Fairgrounds
patriotic pageants and other communit,
activities emphasized in the war tim,
; program OF the recreation movement"