Evening star., 1933-11-05

The National Recreation Association
was first organized in this city. On
April IL, 1906, a group Of educational
leaders met here to plan for a Play
ground Association of America, and
from the entire country at that time
there we're only Al communities ready
10 join In and create centerS for recrea.
ton. With the years. the Playground
Association found that the simple idea
which inspired its formation was not
came 70 light Is It's development In.
creased and It's membership grew to
/ 900 communities. 1t was changed to
the National Recreation Association
with activities expanded to embrace sli
the leisure time of children, young
people and adults.
On April IL. 1881, in celebration Of
its twenty-fifth anniversary, the leaders
of the organization met again in Wash
ington at the White House. where the
first plans were laid They pledged
themselves 10 use their best efforts to
the task of helping the men and women
of America to secure in the next quarter
Of a century more satisfying life for
ALL" Thus, the first organized recrea-
ton adventure, the public playground
movement, which was inspired by "a
heap Of yellow sand In the yard Of
Boston church." it is said, has become
today an important and recognized part
of municipal and educational arrange
ments.
The various civic groups that are
sponsoring the institute are to be con-
graduated on having asked that an ex-
pert such as Mr.. Zanzig be sent to put
added energy into their endeavors. Spe
cially trained in the National Recrea-
tion School and chosen for his qualities
OF leadership, he comes with the newest
ideas that are an outgrowth Of Nation
wide study of the public's needs and
with practical plans that cannot fail to
bring results.
The most interesting part OF this
program is where it touches the average
adult who has liking for music, little
talent for singing or playing, but no
urge sufficiently strong enough to
energize him into making music in his
home other than by turning on the
radio Music intimately a part Of him,
flowing from his fingers or pouring
from his throat. requires not only
great desire but also knowledge,
cleared of discouraging details, of how
to engender it.
4lINlc lldS Uecll eIcdL Ocdl Ol
thought given these past years as to
how to incorporate music in school
and college curriculum SO that an
understanding and love of music could
take root in the youth of the country
There has also been an increase in op-
portunities for the musically gifted to
perfect themselves in whatever branch
they desired. However a large class,
the vast majority in fact, have found
in the long years OF maturity little
impetus to continue or occasion to in
dulge the liking that the school time
discovered to them, except on rare
occasions and then only at great ex-
pense and inconvenience. To discuss
that problem and to further regulate
the already established childrens
musical activities so that they may con-
tinue throughout lifetime is the OBJ
Jective of the meetings being held these
two weeks.
There is no better way of getting
that faint desire into action than by
starting some communal musical ac-
tivity that is free from formality and
free from too much attention to the
individual Mr. Zanzig says: There are
three divisions Of people for whom new