South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-10-10
BY c. SEYMOUR BULLOCK
Director Municipal Recreation

We have not a multitude OF So
cial problems with which 10 deal.
Our so-ca,isd problems are but so
many varied phases Of the one prob
lem-the problem Of a proper So
cial readjustment. How shall we
get the various parts OF society 10
function as they should
The outstanding question Of the
Twentieth century IS not that OF con-
serving fuel. water power, forests,
etc. etc II IS not the question of
inventing more productive machln-
cry, nor of making more money, but
the question of conserving the very
life OF the nation itself. And this
question is fundamentally a question
OF recreation.
Let me then give for myself a
definition OF what ] include in the
word Recreation" I do not mean
simply the thing that you connote
by the word play" Play may Do
dissipation instead OF recreation
Recreation means 10 build up. Dissi-
patton means 10 tear down and the
two contrary terms scannOt be in
elusive one Of the other.
Coming at once TO my subject let
me say there is no surer guarantee
OF basic morality than the habit OF
rightly using ones leisure time II
may be, and IS, true that play in it
self has neither moral nor socia'
value but il does not follow from
this that playing does not enter into
and determine the development OF
such values.
Generally speaking there are
- II frs
there is the suggestion of Spencer
and Schiller that play is the work
ing out OF a superabundane energy
just as the popping open OF the
safety-valve is the release of sur
plus energy in a steam engine. II
| the second there is the view OF GrooS
that play is natures provision for
! necessary relaxation and ''recrea-
| ton" when our bodily powers are
| exhausted. The third is a combina-
ton OF the ideas of Groos and Hal
that play is a preparation for the
/ tasks of life. Tie theory that IL
| playlife we pass through all th'
| periods that have led man up from
primitive times to the present civil
/ izatiOn, certain plays and games be
| ing inevitably suited to certain age:
| or periods of child development. Ac
| cording TO this theory man carrie!
over into the present the activitie.
| of his ancestors from we know no
how far back, repeating their life
/ work in summative and adum brateC
| wayse, just as the dog in turning
around and around before lying
| down harks back to the days wher
| its forefathers turned around in tht
tall grass and rushes to make a suit
| able bed on which to sleep.
In order TO get the question mos
| clearly before you, let me divide the
answer by five and take up th'
! parts Independently. First, as re
1 lated TO childhood, recreation may
be spoken Of more simply as play
and in this I include story tellinS
as an important part.
The play instinct is Embedded IN
\ the very tissue sof a child's life anC
! if you restrict the instinct in one di
rection ii Will find an outlet in som,
other direction that IS far less de
| sirable. Ii is for this reason that
a msaying TO mothers puzzled ovel
the training Of their children: TAX
/ the family and move out with then
away from the realm of Don't"
4 recognize that amongst the God-in
| tended rights of every child Is th'
right TO be we'll restrained but le
/ the restraint be with positive rathe'
| than negative things. Perhaps
/ can illustrate my meaning with tn
/ story of the child whose fathe1
/ heard the clock strike bedtime anC
said off you go" When tho chile
/ said I'm playing steam cars. can
| 1 stay a little while longer" But the
newspaper hidden father just an
/ swered mo- OFF you 60" Their,
| were tears and a threatened rebel
\ lion but the wiser mother came II
4 and said Yes, this is a night traiI
| and nursie has just made up your
| berth in the sleeping car. Daddy!
! the conductor. Say good night 4
| him and get into your berth befor,
| the lights are all turned off" Tha
was the positive way. 1t made
game of the thing and the Kidd,
slept sweetly dreaming OF the re
! cent homecoming in a sleeping car
! 1t is this spirit that want 10 ge
into the life Of the family anC
through the family into the com
munity and the wider city.
Children have little or no regard
! naturally for the rights OF other
and it is the province of play 10 in
stall a respect for such rights. Tn,
/ boy whose only conception OF tn,
law is that the cop" will not lie
| him play "old cat" or baseball il
the streets Will never be in sympa
thy with the majesty Of the law. II,
| leans that sympathy at once. how
| ever, when that law is exerted OF
his behalf toward securing him ;
| place in which TO play his games o1
/ in providing for him a decen
swimming hole" What am seek