Americus times-recorder., 1920-05-19
new COMMUNITY
SERVICE BODY IS
ORGANIZED HERE
Playground Board OF
Control Made Board
Of Directors

AT a meeting held last night at
the Community House the organiza-
ton of community service in Ameri-
Gus was completed, with the election
of the following officers: President.
Mrs. Frank Sheffield; vice president,
Gordon Howell; secretary, Mrs. S. H.
Mckee; treasurer, Mrs. w. M. Hum
Der. The Board of Control, whose
members have heretofore been desig-
mated oftlclal representatives in
charge OF the house and Fairgrounds,
Will hereafter be known as the Board
OF Directors. and will consist of Is
members, including the above officers.
The members of the Board of Direc-
tors are: John Ansley, Dave An
drews, j. Ralston Cargill, C. A. Gull
pepper, Mrs. Frank Cato, George r.
Eins, Sam Heys, Mrs. J. w. Harris.
Wlll M. Humber, Gordon Howell. Mrs
). II. Mckee, Mrs. Frank Sheffield. r.
=: Schneider, John Sheffield. Walter
Tiedeman. '
In the organization of community
service Americus outs itself in line
with the National Organization of
Community Service, Inc, having
headquarters at ! Madison Av,. New
York City. Waldo H. Sherman. an
ofnclal representative of the national
organization, has been in Americus
Tor the past few weeks studying the
possibilities for a cooperative rela-
tlonshlp Of Americas to community
service He stated last night that
CONTINUITY service in its program was
more than playground and more
ehan Community House-that in
the broad and comprehensive pro-
gram outlined by the national organ
lzatlon they would be designated az
activities; and that as people came to
understand that program they would
see the need of various other activi-
ties as well Said he:
Community service is fundament-
ally movement for the making and
keeping Of good citizenship. That is
the great objective of the organiza-
ton. AS affecting the character Of
our citizenship life, its program is
passed on recreation. or the leisure
time problem, as it affects happiness.
health, efficiency and good citizen
ship. Play is the natural birthright
ot children, and organized play, with
supervision and leadership, brings
play into the realm of education
and that is the logical reason of the
playground. We teach children how
TO play in order that they may learn
how to live.
But that provision should be made
Tor wholesome and profitable recrea-
ClonaI and lelsure-time activities for
gfoWn-ups is quite as important as
Tor children. 1t is for this reason
tthat the community service program
IS aIl-lnclusive-it takes in everybody
men. women and children. But
recreation must be taken in broad
sense-it is something more than
playing games or doing athletic
stunts. It's whatever man does in
ms free time that tends to build him
up and really re-create him. Students
OF recreation know that, unless
wholesome leisure time activities are
provided, the hours which might be
given to recreation are too often Civ
en- over to hours of dissipation. AS
the community service of Chicago
puts it; Take the wreck" out Of
recreation" ,"
The success of the community
playground for men and boys is al
ready assured in the selection and
appointment of Jack Hoist as chair
man of the committee on athletics.
members of which are to be chosen
from the American Legion.
The American Legion men are to
play a strong hand in community SER
vice. AS national organization thew
have adopted its program and be-
come most valiant and enthusiastic
coworkers. In tAe service they
learned the spirit of War Camp Com
munity service-and community SER
vice is the peace-time program of
that organization, conserving all
that was gained in wartime of the
friendly get-together spirit of com
Notwithstanding to account the so
cial service awakening of men and
women, who worked as never before
in the various social service organiza-
tions, and finally, conserving in the
American Legion men themselves
that spirit of service which impelled
them to give so unstintedly end he
rolcally in war-time-conservin it
by turning it now to the preservation
of that which they won through par
ticipation in various lines of social
service.