The Lubbock avalanche. (Lubbock, Tex.) 1909-1922, 1922-05-12
By L. 7. Martin


merce held its annual banquet ana
election Of officers at the SoVh
Hotel Tuesday evening at e;OV p.
m, May ., 1922. with approximately
one hundred twenty-five OF the
members present. Rev. }. I. smith
offered invocation.
The first number on the program
was song by the very popular
Home Brew Quartet which was
greatly enjoyed By all
Rev. w. a. Bowen delivered. a
very interesting lecture on flAy
In The Schools
"Ours is q day Of discovery prog
rcss. and roadjustment. Things new
today are old tomorrow. TIC opcn'
g,owing mind b. surprised al tne
many revisions and readjusiments
II has 20 make in is thinking
There was a time when iolks
though, that play was jusi play, ana
attached no Importance 10 u, ccf-
tainly ncne Of a moral or. educa-
tsonal nature But that day mas
passed. Since we have come 70 2
better understanding Of the mental,
moral and physical mechanism OF
the child. and 20 a better under
standing Of the nature aud func.
tion Of play. we have discovered
that play IL not without its value.
Waving the physical development
tha, comes from play, We note Its
moral influence The development
az the will is not instantaneous, hut
~r,duai and continuous. II begins
n early childhood and continues
INTO the years Of maturity; flay ls
a great will-developer. We mus.
Distinguish between learning "na'
r. right and doing what is riRht. ny
preccpt we learn that Is right, Ia,
bis form of teaching. whether ?,
he in the home. Sunday school, or
oshlic school, i weakened BY me
fa~. that the child Is not there act
,ry az a free agent. He follows the
ins,ructions and ideals of his elder.
rather than his own inclinafions and
sesircs II e .n play only that ne
becomes free agent, Following his
own inclnations. and expires ihR
himself accordingly j. F tncfe
as nowhere else. that one sees tnt
zeal child exhibited. Agsin; the
viii Is strong in proportion 10 the
fc.ira ard interest, hence second
roi-t IN weakness IN teaching by
preceps. Too often the child is no n9'
,rtercgtcd in the thing taught. we
usually do the thing we most desire
10 do. and have the most interest,"
in. In play only do these reacn
degree with the child, ordinarily
speaking. for play Is his only real
World and there he finds his great
ed interest and satisfaction.
'sNot only is the will strengthened
nv play. but Il IL trained TO act
oromu,iy. This IL vital 20 life's
welfare. Frequently. the only way
20 escape moral or physical disaster
Il 20 decide and TO act instantly
Your own experience confirms TINS
To listen 70 suggestions, 10 roI
10 reason il out, and weigh all ar
guments is fatal. Many person
ha~ gone down because OF the in
ability 20 meet a given SITUATION
with promptness, firmness ana de,
eision. Whoever saw successiu
athlete who was n weak-willed dul'
Iard7 The school necessarily c,ilt
ivates type of viii that defer'
Judgment and action until the en-
lire field Is surveyed and all evi
dence In. This will not meet al
me si,untions of life. We had bet
Ter proyide for the development Of
ho.h phases as they support eacf
other and are necessary.
.splay has large place IN habit
formation. Play. Is not idieness, a.
some suppose. ldlcness ~ mere
Ioafirp. with ones powers inactive
hut plav il a form Of work IN whicf
urarticnlly the sum-total OF menta
and phvsical energy Is IN action
Idleness Is an increasing problem n
the larger towns and cities, due q
shorter working hours and the laci
of places where this time might o'
satisfactorily employed. The large
the town the more acute the prop
lem. Not from play but from loaf
ing come most Of our law infrac
tions. This is one OF Lubbock
nrobIems. that will become more in
tense with the growth Of the town
cone of the most effective solu
t;ons vet found 20 the problem i
ths pIav-ground, properly equipped
Tghted and supervised. The school
teachers and social welfare worker
L,ow what Is being accomplished
through this medium. A splendi'
playground may be made more at
tyaetive than dark alleys and car
on country roads and dark street.
n reduces moral dangers and hanoi
rsrs the work and influence OF i'm
moral characters. II Is discour
agement TO, and preventive for, idle
nsss smoking, gambling, drinking
and unclean language. II become
an enemy to the cigarette and IN
drinking habit. The director wi
seseh he children that these. evil
urodncs heart irregularity, and pre-
vent the free development Of lunI
earacity. Physical examinations q
Yale University. through q ionl
p~riod of years show that smoker
average 80 cubic inches les lnnl