The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-08-08

the truth of the old saying: All WORK
and no play makes Jack a dull boy"
Play, however. like everything else
must be combined properly and the
games must be of the sort and variety
to induce the bringing forward of the
finer qualities in the nations boys and
girls. Realizing this, Martha Travilla
Speakman of the staff of the children's
bureau has prepared for the govern
ment a manual on organized play.
One of the great things that teachers
should be impressed with Is the fact
that games must be graded and that to
become interested and derive enjoy
ment and benefit from the game the
children must properly understand 1t,
points out Miss Speakman. For in
stance, In order to bring the method
of proper recreation into effect, Miss
Speakman says that little children find
the greatest pleasure in playing simple
g~ames-games of m~ake-believe and
repetition. Older children demand
games that are more complicated and
Individual, while still older children
take pleasure in playing team games,
where competition is the greatest fea-
ture.
1t has been found after study that
first 1t is essential to select the right
games for the right children and then
TO see that all the children are in
cluded In the games, the object of
which should be to awaken the young
sters' ems of alertness, hearing and
seeing. Experiments have shown con-
clusively that If a child is made to feel
that he is an essential factor in the
game he derives better mental and
physical benefits than if he feels that
he is just allowed TO play.
How Games Are Built Up.
A great deal of psychological study
has been necessary to get together the
works from which Miss Speakman has
compiled the manual for organized
play. 1t has been found that it is best
to arrange the recreation of the chill
dren so that 1t will include quiet as
we'll as active play, and that it Is best
10 choose clever children to start a
new game, starting 1t easy at first and
letting children find out themselves the
points involved in the game.
Fair play. the manual points out, Is
probably the most important part of
the game with the children, who are
at the most impressionable age of their
life. The teacher of the game should
Join In so that the children would catch
the spirit of the instructor and be led
by that. Some of the dos and don'ts'
suggested by Miss Speakman are, not
to spoil a childs pleasure by introduce
ing confusing games, to develop reason
and judgment about risks and dares,
for instance, encourage, but not force,
timid children to take risks and give
dares. Care should be taken not to
make the games too serious, but rather
play them with a view to getting laugh
ter and enjoyment out of them.
Another important element on the
playfields Is honor. While it is desir-
able to Undue the children with deter
mination to win by putting all they
have into the game. Miss Speakman
points out that it should be impressed
upon the youngsters that it is far bet
ter to lose than to win by being dis
honorable or cheating.
Programs Are Arranged.
Games suggested in the govern
ment's manual are arranged TO suit
children of all ages. and each game
for the development of some particu.
lar trait in the participants. Here is
a program of schoolroom games for
youngsters from six to ten years: Cat
and Mice" an active game that has in
II the essentials for the development
of akrtness; who Is knocking at my
door," a quiet game for the develop.
ment of hearing; Jack slap" an &C.
tive running game for the development
of alertness; who has gone from the
ring" a quiet game for the develop
ment of observation; "fox and SPUR
rel,' a quiet game, which trains chill
dren to notice and distinguish mate.
rails and colors. Il see; l say 'stoop',"
| or magic music" are games that will
develop in this class OF youngsters self
control, alertness and concentration. In
the manual are also playground games
calculated to develop the same quail
ties in children.
Games for children over ten years
are "tag-the-wall relay" an active
game producing alertness Il spy" OF
Indian running" for the development
of observation; "going to Jerusalem"
for alertness, while dumb crambo"
will develop ~self-contrOl.
Many other indoor and playground
games are suggested in the manual,
which is free for the asking. Not only
does the government undertake to sug-
gest these games but tells In its publ
cation how to play them.