The Sauk Centre herald., 1938-10-13
S. c. Football Field
Named FRIDAY Nipht
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-. ~. rOOtDdl TlClO
Named Friday Night
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that there has been a community
effort to provide for this field. It
means that many men and women
have given UP their time and their
money in order that this field
might be possible. To the commun-
tty itself, and to those persons who
have made this field possible, you
owe your thanks and congratula-
tions. I too want to congratulate
them, for they have done fine
piece Of work.
It means also, that you have a
place where your high school ath-
letes can compete on even terms
with any team as regards facilities
and equipment. But above all that.
this field should mean q place
where the community can play. Not
just the young and the athletic, not
just the men and boys, but a place
where all can play, men and wom-
en-, boys and girls alike.
This playing field should be a
center Of community activity, and
should never be idle for want of
players.
Such a concept of this field i'm
plies the first step in the organiza-
ton of a community recreation
program. AS you all know, on April
15, 1887 the Legislature Of the State
of Minnesota passed a law author
izing all cities, however organized,
or any villages, boroughs, towns,
school districts or any board there
Of, to acquire recreational facilities
and operate programs of public
recreation and Fairgrounds. Now
why did the legislature pass such a
bill? Just to be doing something?
Certainly not, only because there
was a pressure, need evidenced
by the people.
What was that need? It was and
is a need for leisure time education
of leisure time programs made
necessary because Of the leisure
which has been so suddenly forced
upon us. Only a few years ago the
unions struck for a twelve hour
day. Now an eight hour day, five
days a week is complace, and thir-
ty hour week is already a fact in
some industries. BY 1850 a four
hour day, five days week will al
so be a fact. Only twenty hours
of work week, the rest for leis-
ure time activities.
All of this means an adjustment
in the life of every person. 1t makes
necessary a new education.
Because this new leisure was a
sudden thing, the schools have not
been training for leisure time. They
have been training for labor, not
for leisure, for toll, not for recrea-
ton, for work but not for play.
AS result people have been turn
ed out of our schools without skills.
without a philosophy of leisure.
without sound attitudes toward life.
That is now being changed. New
education stresses personality de-
velopment. sociaIization and the de-
velopment of skills and attitudes
have a new and prominent place.
There is at the present time then,
a need for leisure time programs,
for real leadership in order that
people may learn how to play. This
has been demonstrated by the fact
that over 200 communities in Min
nesota during the last eighteen
months have made some start to-
ward a community recreation pro-
gram. This field is evidence that
your community too, Is planning
for your leisure needs. The people
Of the community should be con-
graduated for their foresight.
Many parents here tonight will
have to, at some time or other, face
the question of SHOULD may boy
play football?"
We hear these days a lot about
football injuries. It is true that in
juries do occur, but let us not for
get that there are approximately
GIG, 900 high school students playing
football every year. Any time you
have over a half a million people
doing anything, you are bound by
the law Of averages to have some
injuries.
In the national survey Of football
injuries conducted by DR.. Frank
Lloyd, Of New York University, 1t
was found that there was about an
incidence of five injuries to every
thousand boys playing. What were
these injuries? The leg and foot
area accounts for 43 percent of all
football injuries; 15 percent of the
total injuries occur in the head and
neck; 13 percent in the shoulder; IL
percent in the arm and hand;
percent in the pelvis and thigh; 8
percent in the chest; 8 percent in
the back and 1 percent in the alb
domen.
The injuries cannot be said to be
Of a serious nature. When YOU con.