The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1937-01-05
PLAY NEEDED
BYFARM FOLK
Recreation Plays Important
Part in Rural Programs
of Today
BY MAY SWAN
Home Agent Lenoir County

acter is built and formed through
play. Therefore, through their
games. the boys and girls develop
courage. Courage is developed in
the school of grit, and that is play
ing with other ooyS and girls
where one must stand by what he
does or fails to do.
The next quality developed is u
sense Of justice. All games are
contests with rules and rcgula,
tons. The rules make for the
greatest good 10 the greatest num-
Der. Loyalty is another quality
developed in team games. We play
not for ourselves but for the
group, thus developing It sense oi
loyalty.
Club boys and girls also learn
the fundamental philosophy OF rec
reatiOn-that We give Is well aS
take. This means then that thru
our recreation program we are de.
veloping leaders who will give Of
their time and energies To make
our rural communities more ut.
tractive and ivablc.
TRAINED LEADERS
To train these leaders. county
wide and sometimes two or three
county meetings are held. Here,
prospective leader scome and learn
how TO plan and lead recreation
programs for their communities.
The most fundamental thing q
leader leads" rathre than directs.
These leaders then 90 back TO
their local communities and carry
out such a program rs fits the
needs of the community.
These community programs
sometimes are community sing,
sometime sd barbecue OF picnic.
Other times a bit more formal
party or gathering. but most al
ways. our community folk like a
real "get-together" where we SING
and play together - both young
and old.
Sometimes as many as $50 men,
women. boys and girls come to-
gether for two or three hours to
play. Usually all bows and girls
who have been trained i'm leaders
schools have planned entertain
ment for each age group. III il is
an afternoon meeting, perhaps the
men will pitch horse shoes. The
women enjoy their knitting or.
crocheting. while the boys and
girls go for a swim in the nearby
pond. Or. better still, all will play
games together for q while and
then divide into the various activ-
itv groups.
Another type of recreation meet
Inc which is frequently held is to
set aside a rart of q countrywide
meeting for recreation. Recently
227 al boys and girls of Lenoir
county enjoyed n picnic a. the be
ginning of q countrywide achieve
ment day. The girls spread the
lunch which was served inside the
courthouse due TO weather condi-
tons and the boys were response
bic for cleaning up afterwards
This bit of recreation added much
TO the spirit of the meeting be
cause of the new friends made and
a feeling that We were one b.
club rather than several small
ones.
Local All meetings provide ar
other place where the boys and
girls have an opportunity to pla.
together. 1t NAV be a stunt s"
a simple quiet game or a more &C
tive one if space permits. But it
is enough to add interest and keep
a loyal spirit among the members.
Here is an excellent place for new
leaders TO begin for IL is much
easier for them to start with n
smaller rgoup and simple games.
The al encampment is one of
the most attractive forms of rec
reatio noffered the 4-H boy and
girl. Each summer those men,
bers and leaders who have done
good club work are allowed to at
tend the county camp which is
usually held at some lake side or
beach. This of course is a select
group and offers splendid OPP
portunity for developing leaders.
Many 4-H boys and girls do better
Al club work because of this one
recreation activity.
MORE THAN GAMES
Certainly there are many kinds
of recreation and one should not
imply that only plays and games
are necessary for a well-planned
recreation program. A group in
terested in dramatics may add to
their own pleasure and to the life
of the community by presenting
plays, pageants, or skitS, either IL
the home. school or church. An
other group interested in music
my organize q community or
county chorus. These last men
toned are hobby groups which are
encouraged as a means of develop
inc individual initiative and con
tributing more to community life.
ANY of these end other forms Of
recreation which are used in IN
4-H club program affects not onlv
the BOYS and girls but every mem
Der of the family and community
Unity in the community is kept
when we can plav together, ler
ers are discovered and developed
to carry on not lust the All pro-
gram. but all worthwhile activities:
Selfishness is largely erased
among. individuals as result.
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