New Ulm review., 1922-05-17
RECREATION INSTITUTES FOR
TEACHERS.
BY Ednah Farrier,

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BY Ednah Farrier.
'Go ahead. Learn to play and
learn to teach other folks to play right
More troublesome boys and girls will
stay within law and order when they
find something to do"
It was Walter Camp addressing two
hundred delegates from New Haven
schools, churches, factories, and settle
ments, all of whom had commenced tc
learn the art of playing. The game in.
structor called for a tug-of-war.
Twenty school teachers and twenty
strapping youths from the Winchester
factory divided ranks evenly, and it
turned out a tie! Two lively ring
games followed; then came the pre-
liminary steps to an old folk dance
and even stouter ones went at it with
will. When red blood was tingling
through unaccustomed veins an inter
mission was given. That completed
the physical exercise part of the first
"play evening" the opening of two
weeks institute on recreation by work
ers of Community Service.
Next, the dramatic expert took the
center Of the stage.
II want fifteen women volunteers
for our dramatic skitp' she announced.
Whereupon volunteers came for
ward. They were instructed to depict
a village sewing circle the members
of which had become thoroughly dis
gusted with the town gossip-carrier.
They were asked to make their own
plot, and to stage, extemporaneously,
an indignation meeting of the sewing
circle.
After hurried consultation fourteen
of the party took their places on the
stage. There entered the fifteenth, a
prim, alert figure, depicting the village
gossip. Her cool reception showed
that the virtuous sewing circle wanted
no trouble-maker to disturb them.
But a few whispered words from the
gossip and sbrug of her shoulders
aroused the slumbering curiosity of the
circle members. At once they forgot
indignation and leaned forward for the
story. But the gossip had to make a
train, and broke off her narrative
abruptly, whereupon the whole sewing
bee was adjourned without formalities
so that the sewers could follow the gos-
sip to the train and learn the rest of her
story.
The little skit was over, but not the
feeling of power. They had turned
amateur actresses in one evening.
Given plot, an idea, they had lived it
out. They wanted to try another.
The same happened in turn with a
group of men. The most awkward of
them were transformed into players
who forgot themselves.
The "set-up" or initial organization
for recreation Institutes such as the
one held in New Haven by Community
Service, sometimes takes three weeks,
and sometimes longer. The people in
the Community who stand behind the
school usually take the initiative in
letting their fellow townsmen know
that there is being offered an unsur-
passed chance for training in play
leadership at the cost of a paltry
fee. A small folder con-
tanning the necessary facts was used
recently for this purpose in Boston.
1t wormed it's way into factories of the
city and suburbs; into churches and
Sunday schools; into fraternal organi-
cations, industrial unions, girls clubs,
boys clubs, settlements, social centers
and educational institutions. Over five
hundred letters went out and news
paper notices brought in interested
recruits from several corners of the
Hub
So that when school opened two
hundred and thirty-three registered.
From one Italian neighborhood. of
Boston came nine delegates who repre-
sented mothers and girls clubs. These
representatives were Of course anxious
to take back to their constituents all
of the games, social frills and stunts
that they could possibly learn. Al
though the two hours sessions came
i've times a week, an average of at
;endance of one hundred and forty
each evening was maintained.
The more active part of the programs
II these Community Service recreation
Institutes such as games and square
lances usually come during the first
lour. And the later part Of the even
ng is reserved for pantomimes, musical
'ctivities, story play acting and spon-
aneous dramatics. Sometimes there
$ short pointed talk on "Play as a
Part Of Education 9.The Develop
nent Of Play for Different Ages" and
The Psychology Of Teaching Play to
)ther People, At the end of the
chool each institute member who has
certain attendance aver /,
ge is presented with an engraved 1,
49, e