Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-02-03
SURVEY SHOWS PLAY HABITS
Mr.. ondMrs. America Prefer to Use
Free Time Actively, Not 'Re|oxing'

NEW YORK. Feb. 2 (NANA). !
Mr.. and Mrs. America would
rather fix the kitchen sink and
pull weeds in the garden than
go to a party.
This is one of the findings of
a nationwide survey of the rec
reational habits of thousands of
young to middle-aged married
couples by Alfred Politz Re-
search. Inc. The survey pictures
America as a leisured nation
which chooses to spend its album
dant free time in useful activi-
ties in preference to parties.
games or moviegoing.
What's more, as leisure time
continues to increase. we ener-
getic Americans intend to get
still buster at home. The survey
disclosed that we spend start
lingly little time lust relaxing"
Not counting vacations. we
have some l76 billion leisure
hours a year to draw on from
our national leisure budget
2l1a hours per week for the
average working man and 1872
hours for his wife. How do we
spend it?
Watching television, as might
be expected, is the most popular
of all informal spare-time &C
tivities in our leisure stocked
peoples capitalism. Eight out
of ten of all men and women
across the country had done
this at least once in the seven
days before they were inter-
viewed.
Reading Still Enjoyed
But television. contrary TO
some alarmists, hasn't hurt our
enjoyment of reading. Seven out
of 10 interviewed had done some
reading for pleasure in the same
test week. :.
Better than half the men, and
one out of five Of the women. had
repaired something around the
house. Better than one-third OF
both women and men had gar
dened.
Attending parties or other So
cial affairs was only in fifth place
on the list, followed in order by
going to the movies, playing
games such as cards and chess,
working at a hobby and going to
club meetings.
Substantial amounts OF time
60 into organized activities. And
here it develops. The people who
give most time to social and
church work are the ones VINO
have least to spend.
About one-third of all those
tnterviewed-l6.9 per cent of the
men and 53.7 per cent Of the
women-belong to Parent-Teach-
ers Associations and spend nearly
two hours a month in PTA work.
Nearly six out of 10 of those in
terviewed belong to church or
CARNATIONS and use between five
and six hours OF leisure time a
month for church work. About
one-fifth of those interviewed be-
long to lodges or auxiliary and
spend nearly an hour week in
the activities of these organiza-
tons.
Equipment Is Clue
One good measure Of how we
spend our spare time was pro-
vided by an inventory Of what
equipment is likely to be In
every mans house. In six Of 10!
homes Of those surveyed. there
Is some fishing equipment. In
about the same number 1874 per
cent Of these is hunting equip
ment. Possibly these represent
wishful thinking. because hunt
ing and fishing are low on the
list of activities.
Better than one in five of the
Interview subjects owns power
drill. Nearly as many have ice
skates or golf clubs. Nearly one
household in ten has a motion
picture camera and an cupboard
motor and a motion picture pro-
jector.
Some revealing relationships
were discovered in the surveys
look at how the amount Of leisure
affects the way free time is spent.
For example:
Those with the least spare
time do the most PTA work.
The more spare time. the less
church work. Nearly 40 per cent
of those with Is hours or less
Q week to call their own were
active in church. But among
those with Is or more hours. the