Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-02-13
SCIENCE ENTERS
SCHOOL KIDDIES'
. PLAY PROGRAM
DR.. Ocker Measures atoms of
joy to Be Extracted in
Daily ROmps.
TEACHERS JOIN IN GAMES

Science has invaded the field of play.
Long ago science laid down rules for
eating, for sleeping, for working. Now
science teaches one how to play eni-
GENTLY.
DIR. W. H. Ocker, supervisor Of phys
zeal instruction in the city schools, has
established a system Of playground rules
following the latest scientific methods,
which insure the Juvenile population OF
extracting the utmost atom of joy
from certain given hours set aside for
recreation.
To begin with, every child entering
school is examined for physical defor-
mites. He is then given a course Of
instruction in the physical culture classes
to eliminate any slight irregularity OF
the body, according to DR.. Ocker. The
student then Is given a seat that hts
him properly, as most Of the minor de-
formities noticed by local school officials
result from improper desk seats. After
getting established the youngster is
turned loose to play with his fellow
students.
PREVENT GREAT
LOSS OF TINE.
Fairgrounds at the various schools
have been mapped out with various sec
lions reserved for certain games. This
insures the minimum loss Of time in get
ting from the classroom to the playing
field, and then the children know just
what they are going to play before leav-
ing class which eliminates the usual
Juvenile argument as to the type Of recre-
alton.
Fairgrounds have been divided so that
children of the different grades play to-
gether, thus keeping the older students
from romping over their younger COM
rades. Play equipment, consisting Of
baseballs, bats and the like. are placed
on the field and await the arrival Of the
students. On occasions, each student
knows just what position he will occupy
in the game to be played so when the
gong of dismissal rings the student body
rushes forth and starts to play without
any loss Of time. At the close Of recess
periods playthings are laid aside under
a set plan and no time is wasted in re-
Stunning classes.
ROUGH AND TUMBLE
GAMES ARE TAKEN.
There has also been a decided change
i'm games now played by school children
since the days of our own youth. Tho
rough and tumble games are taboo and
mothers may now put some slight de-
pendence in the creduity of their off.
spring when their children return home
rant door knob. The old free-for-all
scrap behind the back fence dear 20
the heart of the o1d-time schoolboy, IS
n thing of the past. Shiny" "black
man." 'prisoners' base" "crack the
whip "rile on sacks and such old
time games are not in the curriculum Of
the present day youth. Instead. base
ball. volley ball end ball basketball
broad jumping, throwing and hand wres-
Ting are the predominating sports OF
young boys.
Still another novel innovation in the
playing field has been introduced. Teach
erS join in the games with the same Zes&
und spirit of their charges. and thus
guiding hand is kept in touch with tbs
progress of the play. Furthermore, the
physical exercise tends to keep the in
structors fit for their work in the class
rooms.
TEACHERS FORGET
THEIR DIGNITY.
This abandonment of dignity and re-
serve on the part of teachers is quite a
change from the school days of a bygone
year A teacher of yesterday who for
got her dignity so far as to gambol over
the school yard in a game of cross-tag
with her charges would have startled
the natives in a shocking manner and
provided much food for discussion at the
regular Tuesday meeting of the neigh
borhood sewing circle.
The moderniZed system Of playground
rules Is proving a success. however, &C.
Gording to Dr. Ocker. and 1t also insures
a careful guiding OF youthful energies
in a field that has been more or less
overlooked in school programs Of the
past.