The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1917-02-22
PLAY"

less. we often hear the expression.
These are the LATEST children l
ever saw. They won't do thing
but play" This expression is very
natural when we remember the atti'
tude which our forefathers-the
Puritans-held.
Again the teacher Of rural
school will often hear the express
sion from patrons, Don't let Johnny
play too much, want him TO learn"
and in most cases | think this Is
perfectly natural also because IL
seems 10 many parents that they can
hardly get on anyway without the
help Of their larger children at
home. then while they are in school
they must make the best OF every
minute. Also in former times, when
schools were so scarce. IL was under
stood that the child who was for
tunate enough to get to go away
to school must lose no time from
his books. as he was sent there to
learn things which would be very
difficult to learn at home, and must
never just play, as he got enough
exercise from his work OF home.
Another bad check TO the much
needed play and social exercise IL
the improper use Of the dance, and
the use Of the so-called kissing
games in the common social gather
ings. causing them to always give
bad results and making it impossible
for self-respectine parents TO allow
the attendance Of their children. So
little by little. the mo play spirit
has been developed until IL is al
most universal in most Of our COM
munities and naturally play. will
never be sanctioned until its cause
and good results are made plain.
Play is as natural and essential as
the cries uttered by the newborn
babe, which serve 10 start the re-
spiratory system to working.
Play serves TO bring into action
those little unused muscles upon
which the development of a strong
physical body depends.
As children grow older, they be-
gin to take more interest in play,
and want to try to play the game Of
life which they see going on around
them every day. Therefore, they
will try to initiate us in our daily
pursuits in life, thus bringing into
play and developing the very same
muscles which we are daily COM
PEELED TO use.
Again, the great benefit Of play is
seen when child tries TO make
something of his own, o. create
something new by bringing together
many chairs. blocks of wood or
other familiar objects, and arrang-
ing them in such a way as TO make
them look as they never looked be-
fore TO him. Thereby he tends TO
develop his natural creative ability.
Play also tends TO make us able TO
face defeat squarely. Ae we are
continually running up against it
in games. Again, if games are prop
erly supervised, we will find the
habit developing OF facing compe-
tition squarely in an honest, upright
way.
But most important Of all is the
physical exercise which children
get from play, as they always play
harder than they work, and they get
themselves into every imaginable
shape. This will start the blood 10
flowing freely, and make the muscles
move more easily. Thus we see that
play is not merely the working of
Of surplus energy but also tends TO
make us more energetic.
Play acts as force 10 educate and
develop us more perfectly and we
must have the proper amount Of IL
before we can be expected 10 do our
best work. II is as essential TO the
development Of a child as is the
training which an engineer gets as
a fireman before he can climb into
the cab of modern express engine
and drive il down the track at the
rate OF sixty miles an hour.
So. then, why not encourage play
literally where young people are In
the gamer Let us, as teachers. try
| II.