Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1922-09-21
VALUE Of PLAY
in SHAPINGLI
Give All a Chance, Director
Ernst, of Community
Service Tell RotarianS
FAIRGROUNDS BAR
TO DELINQUENCY


! Club. held in the grill room
Hotel DUPONT. this afternoon
Charles f. Ernst director OF the
Wilmington Community Service. was
the chief speaker. He said. in part:
1.-THE department OF social work
which has been receiving great
deal OF attention in the last few
years Is that which deals with the
importance OF community recreation.
The countless studies that have been
made on the causes for the failures
of humanity as recorded in the books
of the relief organizations. the health
societies, and the institutions for
delnquehts and detectives reveal
the fact that one cause OF the break
down is that at one time or another
an influential unit in the family did
not understand the value Of proper
wholesome recreation. The great
majority OF relief cases today are due
to the fact that in the past genera
tons bread winners sought their REQ
reation in ways which not only un-
! fitted them for the hard test OF daily
labor. but wiped out the income
which otherwise might have been
put aside to save the wife and chill
dren from dependency. undernour-
ished bodies. and III health.
THE records of insane asyIums
seem to indicate that the number
OF women who have been affected
by the unbroken monotony of farm
drudgery have been reduced because
OF the photograph, the weekly mag
azine. the telephone and the auto
mobile, which are all sources of
recreation.
THE evidence Is even clearer in
the correctional institutions for
boys and girls. Judge Prickett, OF
the Juvenile Court, has recently
testified to the truth OF the senti-
ment which Judge Lindsey OF
Denver. expressed a decade ago
when he said Fairgrounds are bet
ter" preventives OF delinquency
than are the courts. Almost with
out exception the causes for the ar
rest of Juveniles bear Directly on the
fact that children were left 10 seek
their own play The environment
of their local neighborhood offered
nothing in the way OF wholesome
recreation and the use OF the leisure
time was directed into activities
which tnterfered with the rights OF
others and sooner or later they were
picked up by the police.
"one very important thing to re-
member IN connection with play, |
whether 1t is that OF children or Of
adults, is that when human beings
play their controls are absolutely
released and their minds are most
susceptible TO influence. Let a.
group OF boys start playing in an
unorganized way and you will see
that before they are through play
ing they will have followed the will
of tho leader in the group and that
leader will be the one who Is
capable of suggesting the most dar-
ing and unique form of adventure.
Then when the boys get into
trouble because OF their misohiev-
BUSINESS the father thinks It is his
duty to punish the boy and make
him out TO be a depraved individual
and the mother keeps saying. why
did you do it2' TO which the boy
can only reply. I don't know; we
were only fooiing.' and in saying
this the boy is telling the absolute
truth. Many a boy has been charg-
ed with theft who took some OBJ
ject with no other reason than the
hope that It might get rise out
OF the owner and possibly he would
give the fellows a chase. other
boys have been called incorriglble,
malicious or disorderly. simply be-
cause the leadership in their play
was not the kind that IT should have
been.
why not begin with this pres
ent generation and give them every
chance to satisfy In a normal way
the most natural instinct for play7
II Is the one sure preventive OF
many Of our social Ills. Why walt
TIL the child is crippled either IN
body, or in mind. or in character.
before we begin to be Interested ?"
Following the address OF Mr.
Ernst, Lieutenant Governor ] Dan
forth Bush made an appeal 20
the Rotarians TO support the Com
munity Service and 20 assist them
in celebrating their nth annlvers-
airy next Monday.
President w. d. Foster reported /
that despite the fact that the at
tendance OF the local club for Au-
gust showed decrease of 5.43 per
cent. It led all the clubs in the
Fifth district with a total of 74.5s
per cent.
1t was also announced that the
speaker for next week would be
John W. Connor, deputy police In
spector of New York City, who
would speak on Traffic Control"
During todays meeting Edward
R. Mack and former Secretary of
State Everett c. johnson, who at
ended the meeting wearing straw
hats, were hailed before a Mock
Court" ]. c. d. Garrettson was
Judge and after hearing the testi-
nony both men were sentenced to
'olict money with their hats from
he members present Mr.. Mack fall
ID to receive any contributions. Mr..
Iohnson, however, received a small
mount OF money which was do
lated to the hotel.
Nathaniel w. Howell, chairman
Of the entertainment COMMITTEES an
bounced the following program and
speakers for October.
october s. Boys work. Committee.
EDWARD B. Mode. Harry d. Rad
cliff and Franklin ]. Murphy.
October 12-Public Affairs. COM
mittee, Judge Hugh II. Morris, Max
and Frank N. Overdeer.
Judge Morris announced that he