Milford chronicle., 1957-09-20
MILFORD DELAWARE

grams and organized play. Yet, to-
day, when our youngsters ride
buses to school instead of walking,
when progress has cheated them
out Of the open spaces their fa-
theirs played in, when TV lures
them into watching instead of do
ing, the schools, too, are letting
them down physically
Ninety per cent of our elementary
schools, reports the National Collie
giate Athletic Association, have less
than the five acres of land con-
sidered essential for play areas,
and 81 per cent have no gymnasium.
Less than half of our high school
boys and girls receive physical ed
ucation and only 1900 out of II, 900
U. S. communities employ a full
time recreation leader of any sort.
American youth trails the up
coming Europeans in physical fit
ness in spite of our overwhelming
advantages in nutrition and sani-
tation, and the disgraceful rejec-
ton rate chalked up by draftees in
World War / and World War IL
continues.
The British have long contend
ed their wars were won ION the
playing fields of Eton". Without
giving Elton all the credit, there
can be no doubt that the playing
fields" of the British Isles and the
Empire at large contributed inn
measurably to the stamina, the
lighting spirit and training for
leadership so vital in grimmer pur-
suits.
It's time for America to look to
her playing fields, and to face up
to the shameful fact that in two
generations we have grown pitt
fully almost hopelessly soft. This
condition won't correct itself. But
anywhere the school board, the
teachers and the PTA get together
to plan and demand action on ply
sical education, they can get it.
*&z
Does Anybody Know?
Senator Stuart Symington, Of
Missouri, former Secretary of the
Air Force has taken issue with the
Presidents recent statement-fol-
lowing Russia's announcement of
successful ICBM-that u. S. efforts
to achieve similar weapon have
highest priority. The Senator
challenged both the priority state
ment and the Eisenhower assur-
ance that this country is proceeding
on the trans-oceanic rocket to the
limit of our facilities, declaring
that sit would appear the President
has been misinformed" Rather
than stepping up the ballistics mis-
sile program after the Russian an
nouncement. he said. the Defense
Department had ordered a reduc-
ton of spending on the project.
Despite the former Air Secre-
tary's assurance that he is not sug-
gesting that the President is de-
liberately misleading us. his fur
ther protestation of ''the highest
respect and deepest affection for
the President, and sly and graf
uitous reference to playing golf
should be the tip-off that Mr. Sy-
mington's remarks could have been
politically inspired.
But whatever the Senator's OBJ
jective, we are forced to agree with
him when he says that more
truth" should be given the Ameri-
can people-witA respect to Red
superiority in planes and sub
marines, our relative standing in
the missile race and the present
strength of NATO defenses. Until
and unless we are given more
comprehensive and comprehensive
picture of what the President likes
to call our posture of strength"
the ugly suspicion persists that
u. S. Intelligence knows very little
about what is in the Soviet arsenal.
Classified Ads Get Results