The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1924-11-20
VALUE OF PLAY
IS POINTED OUT
Cities in State Contest
Recognize Value Of Play
for Citizens.
CITY AMONG LEADERS

Wholesome play has just about won
it's spurs as character builder if it's
place in the Wisconsin Better Cities
contest, which is being held under the
direction of the Wisconsin Conference
Of Social Work, can be taken as an in
dication of it's character Importance.
The purpose of the contest, accord
ing to Aubrey Williams, under whose
direction it is being held, lis to de-
termine the one best place in the state
of Wisconsin in which to live" "Rec-
reation," Mr.. Williams declares, ais one
of the most important factors in our
present day living. Through diverse
forms of play, games, drama, song and
towns and cities may make themselves
attractive and wholesome worthwhile
places in which to live"
A prize of one thousand dollars is
to be given to the winner of the con-
test. And to determine the winner, the
cities are to be measured" Scoring
schedules have been gotten out by
which the various activities are to be
measured.
Covers All Fields.
The field covered in the scoring
schedule for recreation includes COM
mercial, private, social and public rec
reation. Dramatics and music, while
being an integral part CT recreation,
are treated under separate divisions.
"Some forms of play and recreation
have a much greater recreative value
than Others" Mr.. Williams points out.
"The group having the lowest value is
the commercial group of recreation.
Under this group are to be found pool
halls, dance halls, bowling alleys, mo-
ton picture theaters, amusement
parks, professional baseball and pro-
fessional football.
These forms of play furnish little
or no opportunity for the great major
ity of those who consider the atten-
dance at such as recreation, to take
part in the actual playing of the game.
They are onlookers while others real
~ do the playing. On basis of a
total of one thousand points, only 1875
points are given to this whole field.
Public recreation holds the place of
honor in the scoring schedule. Three
hundred and forty points are given to
this one group. Public schools come
first, and they get high scoring for
gymnasium. Here again the thing
that gets the high score is the oppor-
tunity provided for every student to
have playing part ins the game. 1t
means far more to the community to
have all of it's children playing the
game in some contest than to have
championship teams where only eleven,
nine, five or for that matter, fifty
students are developed into "stars" at
the expense of the whole student body.
Fairgrounds and parks, where there
are some forms Of supervised play
leadership, are stressed. Swimming
pools, dancing pavilions, pageants,
swings, ETC., all count most heavily
in favor of the fortunate city which
happens to possess them. And winter
sports, too, in the parks with ice skat-
ing where it is safe, all count for the
contesting cities.
Culture Courses.
In dramatics, it is not so much the
bringing of some celebrity to the city.
but the providing of opportunity for
the people themselves to have their
own drama, hear their own voice, act
out their own mimicry. In music, it
is the same. While the gifted virtuoso
has a value, it is not to be compared
to May festival in which a hundred
youths, men and women take part.
The use of recreation, as pointed
out in the forward of the scoring sched-
ule, "is to provide wholesome me-
dunn through which individuals may
express their worthwhile capacities,
and develop whatever talent they may
possess, as we'll as obtain joyous ex-
preston of their best selves" This
is far cry from the attitude of our
grandparents who administered a Sc
we're chastisement for "idling away
hours" and the evil which still turks
in certain pool halls, dance halls and
the like.