The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1920-01-23

|, home and will be their guest for the
remainder of the winter
A Plea for Play Ground Equipment
For Our School Children
The Parent Teachers Association of
Marion county, recently organized, is
undertaking big things for our chill
dren, the children of the entire coun-
ty, for it should be the ambition of
every parent to have each child at
tend, sooner of later, the High school
in Ocala The president of the asso-
citation, Mrs. E. A. Osborne, has pre-
sented three beautiful lots, which
yeasrs ago cost her $500, and today
are much more valuable, for play
grounds for our school children now
it is up to the citizens of the county
| to equip them with modern play an.
paratus. Educators of today know
that child must be developed physi-
cally as well as mentally. An awful
lesson was taught in the late war,
when of the men who applied for en-
trance into our army, about one third
were rejected on account of physical
disability. To develop health, streng-
tn. and cleanliness we should begin to
train the child from early youth. Play
is the most natural expression of
child life unless wholesome Becrea-
ton is provided, unwholesome win be-
This we know, without confirmation
from disquieting figures ON juvenile.
delinquency. The child is helpless
remedy conditions for himself Left
unremedied the country is helpless
to cope with the future problems
which come from thwarting the
restless energies of youth. Repress-
ing the human instinct for activity is
sitting initiative and energy at their
Isource. The budding faculties of the
child require but one thing for their
fruitful development-well directed,
good, wholesome play opportunity
Play grounds are cheaper than NUM-
cipal care for the delinquent, criminal
and sick. Schools we have, but edu-
cation without health is useless. Wig
Orous physical exercise in the open
air gives the young body its only
chance to develop into an efficient
working machine. The cost OF play
dc hA Il Ixr hal he
yearly cost of policing criminals. The
cost of no play grounds, on the other
hand, is an actual menace, leading to
the loafer, the gangster and the ruff
fan element in our citizens of to-
morrow"
AS a question of cost. which price
shall we pay?
For some time now we have been
giving our time and money to the
people overseas But while we have
been giving our own institutions have
suffered. 1t was right that we should
have given, but the time has come
when we should spend most of our
money and energies nearer home. The
war has drawn us close together. Let
us keep together and work together
for the most good for the most people.
: The Parent. Teachers Association ap-
peals to you for the good OF our chill
dren We have not exhausted our re-
sources for giving. There is more
money in the country than ever be
fore. We are better able right now
Ito give generously toward this most
important work We are endeavoring
70 raise the sum of $4,000. In st. Pc
tersburg one man gave over 100000
for school equipment. Jacksonville
/ has recently purchased from one con-
Germ $4,000 worth of play apparatus.
VIII Marion neglect to do for her
children what other towns OF the
state and entire Country are doing
for theirs? All subscriptions should
be sent to Miss Mamie Sheppard,
treasurer of the Parent Teahcers AS
ISOLATION, Ocala, Fla.
=
Come, join the association, too. We
invite every parent in the county
The meetings are held at the high.
school building the first Thursday in
every month, at o'clock in the after
noon You will learn to know and love
the teachers Of your children. and
they, knowing the parents, will take
deeper interest in the children. With
cooperation and a clearer understand
ing Of each others aims, only good
will follow.
MRS. E. T. HELyENSTON,
Chairman Campus and Equipment
Committee.
81.