The Mankato free press., 1922-01-27
ORGANIZED PLAY.
B[AKESLE[ TOPIC
He Spoke To PIT. Meeting
Last Evening
PLAN SPORT IN kATo
What Could Be Done At Sibjey
Park n Winter and
Summer

Organized Play" conditions under
which it is beneficial. ana-the results,
was the subject which e. P. Biakes-
lee, high school physical director,
discussed at the Lincoln Parent
TeacheSs' association last night.
Preceding his talk, Miss H. John
son, the grade supervisor of physical
training, presented a class Of girls
in gymnasium games. Glenn Shoe
maker delighted the audience with
'The Gypsy Song" and responded TO
the encore most graciously by sing
ing mighty LAX Iiose''
Mr. Blakeslee. in beginning his ad-
dress, stated that I'VE are becoming
city population, and for this reason
we cannot enjoy the games and
sports which our fathers and grand
fathers did. We must be amused and
entertained. This accounts for the
movies and the vaudeville shows.
"Uhorganized play is found among
the small groups OF children, but IN
large group this is impossible. The
fellow that is the largest or who can
lnumldate the smaller boys or girls
will be the leader. i have seen this
On the play ground hundred times
We noN nave games that are won
not by the bully or the largest boy,
by the best sport, the fairest in play,
or the best athlete. Organized play
teaches the child to obey the rights
OF others. 1t teaches him to play ac-
cording to rules. He cannot give
away, to fits OF temper, to swearing
or tom play. He must obey the
rules.
Paddle For Bad Boys
When a boy disoDeys, lne rest OF
the boys are asked what shall be
done; They Immediately say The
paddle The culprit is then COM
PEELED to get down on his hands and
knees and crawl between two rows
of boys who give him crack with
their belts. When he has received
this punishment once, you many be
assured, he will obey the rules OF
the game hereafter. Boys who nave
been unmanageabie in the school
room, have been models of deport-
ment In the gym classes after un-
dergoing this treatment once. Obey
games to the letter, teaches them to
obey bigger laws of life. They must
learn to leave realization to the rules
of The game, instead of taking it up
on himself.
Great companies, churches and
other organizations are realizing the
good which organized play does.
There Should Be Cooperation
There ought to be CO. operation
between the various organizations o.
the city, such as the churches, the
Y. M. c. A, the Loyola, Elks, Normal
high school and others, to work sor
organized play that will set high
standards, that will be the beginning
of the standards to be set in after life.
This could only be brought about by
leader, who was a supervisor OF all
these different athletic organizations.
Mr Blakeslee outlined \ the wo..k
which such man could do He
could take care of the play ground,
and could have Sibley park fixed so
skiing and tobogganing could be en-
joyed there during the winter. Then
our park would be serving us the
year around. Mr.. Blakeslee cited the
cities of Minneapolis AMI Ely where
this system of supervised play by
one man, is used. We have only 20
look at the fine winter and summer
sports which the parks afford the
Minneapolis citizens to see how ben
eficial such plan would be.
Rev. Edward Johnson led the dis
cussion following Mr.. Blakesles's
talk. Rev. Johnson said he heartily
endorsed, any movement put on by
the city, to make for clean and help
ftll amusement for the young people.