Imatges de pàgina
PDF
EPUB

AT THE CONVENTIONS

psychiatric and psychological clinics, vocational guidance and placement, were some of the means of preventing crime suggested by Mr. Butcher.

Frederick M. Thrasher of New York University also emphasized the great appeal of undirected street play to the boy. Further, he said that the traditions of the neighborhood, or even the community at large, have a powerful effect upon the psychology of children. A certain neighborhood in Chicago has yielded about the same percentage of delinquency for many years, although successive waves of different racial groups have flowed in and out of the neighborhood. "The acid test of recreation is, what result does it produce in the behavior of the boy? Recreation agencies do not know how many boys are reached by the specific parts of their program, nor do they have standards of measuring the influence of specific activities on boys' behavior. They are not aware of misfits in their program. They should have human cost accounting, such as business houses do. This cost accounting should include the statistical, ecological and case study approaches." Dr. Thrasher's assertion that there is no gang instinct in boys was challenged by several members of the conference.

The Rochester recreation survey was considered. A report on this survey was given by Oscar Kuolt, secretary of the Rochester Council of Social Agencies. He defined recreation as a good use of off-duty time. "It includes self-improvement, play, amusement and service," he said. The Rochester survey, conducted under the direction of C. B. Raitt, was both quantitative and qualitative. It is recognized that the city's recreation problem reaches out 75 to 100 miles from the city, even as far as the Allegheny park system. The proposed program arising from the survey is threefold: First, what can be done immediately with present facilities and a re-vamped staff of workers; second, a five-year program involving more and more facilities and larger personnel; third, a program reaching into the next twentyfive or thirty-five years, involving major acquisitions of park and recreation land and other facilities when the money is available. We have placed the emphasis as a matter of course upon public recreation supported from tax funds. Private agencies and semi-public recreational agencies are primarily interested in character building in recreation.

"We are advised by Mr. Raitt that we should acquire beach and park land now while it is rela

717

Our

tively inexpensive. Some kind of city, county and state tie-up in administration is indicated. playgrounds are only 17 percent of what we actually need. Only 40 percent of the children can swim. Eighty percent of the children go to the movies, on the average, one and a half times a week.

"Here is a startling fact for you, as it was for us: Fifty-six percent of juvenile delinquency in 276 cases on which records were available, was found within a quarter of a mile of the playground. Now either our playgrounds are too small or the leadership has been bad. I believe the leadership has been inadequate, and this is no reflection upon the director of playgrounds. In some cases the qualification of the playground leader has consisted solely in that he has shaken hands with the friend of an alderman. I believe that the schools should be opened up for recreation. The policy in the construction of our new schools is that there shall be at least five acres of land for every elementary school.

He

Loss to the Park Movement.-On January 12, 1929, Stephen Mather resigned from the National Park Service because of ill health. is succeeded by Homer M. Allbright, who has been associated with him in the national park work. Recreation workers everywhere are indebted to Stephen T. Mather for the fine service he has rendered, not only in his work for national parks, but also for state parks and for the entire park movement. Mr. Mather has given of himself, of his money, and all that he has to try to build up park service in America.

In accepting Mr. Mather's resignation, Secretary West wrote:

"The Federal Government, and the American people as a whole, owe you a deep debt of gratitude for the many years of intensely patriotic, self-sacrificing, and constructive service you have rendered in furthering the cause of national parks and making these reservations readily available to all classes of our people. *

*

"Under your splendid leadership the people of the Nation have been awakened to the beauties and possibilities of the national parks and the necessity of conserving these areas for all time. So firmly have you built the foundations of the National Park Service that it is now bound to move firmly onward along the lines of greatest service to the people."

The 1928 Olympics (Continued from page 674)

and did so, running himself blind, but winning by a block.

Before the final, I said to him, "Well, old man, are you coming through?" And he replied, "Mr. Kirby, I am going to win here and I am going to win at Amsterdam." This was not conceit. It was a plain statement of the ambitions of the boy. His goal was set for Olympic victory. He thought of nothing else-neither of opportunities for good times nor for doing any of those things which might have taken the edge off his condition. There was just one big thing-he had the will to win and he won, pumped clean out so that with the last stride over the mark he fell prostrate.

That is a fine object lesson to carry to the youngsters and the grown-ups that we of the Playground and Recreation Association of America have to do. It is generally the will to win in life that wins.

Whether or not women should take part in competitive sports is, as you know, a most mooted question. For years in some sports they have done so. On the Olympic program there has been since 1904 swimming and diving for women; since 1924 fencing for women; and from the time the memory of man runneth not to the contrary, exhibitions in gymnastics for women. And now in 1928 we had for the first time some events in track and field athletics for women. Some of the competitors were very nice and ladylike; some were tough and anything but ladylike. But they were all good sports. And while the 800-meter event for future Olympics was eliminated because of the fear that the strain on the competitors was too great, I personally do not believe that any contestant was physically injured, mentally upset or morally offended by her presence in competition at the games. And I am saying this as being very much of an old-fashioned man, who would like to see all women and girls in their old-fashioned place in the home and out of our offices and not running away with the best jobs in the professional and business world. At the Congress of the International Amateur Athletic Federation, practically a day was given to the discussion of the effect of competition and strenuous exercise upon the female. The Germans had more statistics than anyone else. They were all to the effect that with reasonable precautions a girl could stand the strain as well as a boy, and that no deleterious effect had resulted nor was to be expected, neither

to the contestant, herself, nor to future generations.

Except for the elimination of the 800-meter run for girls, the track and field athletics for 1932 will be as 1928, with the addition of a long-distance walk, or more properly speaking, hike, approximately thirty-two miles.

But I cannot close without paying tribute not alone to Costello and McIlvaine, who won the double-scull, but to that marvelous crew of California, which also had the will to win, first in California and then at Poughkeepsie, and then again in Philadelphia in the Olympic trials, where every crew of note in the country fell before it. And then on to Amsterdam, where from the beginning they had the hard end of the draw, having to row themselves out in practically all of their preliminary heats to meet the Thames Boat Club crew in the finals, who had had comparatively easy going until that time.

To me, the crew, as they took their places in their shell to paddle to the starting line on the canal near Amsterdam, upon which the race was rowed, looked "cooked" and overtrained, and I could not see how they could come through. But at the crack of the pistol, they got the jump of a few feet, and notwithstanding challenge after challenge of the smooth-rowing and courageous English crew, they met each spurt with one of theirs, and brought to themselves, to their university and to their country, another great and wellearned victory.

Never have the games been so popularcrowded grandstands at the finish; and crowds on the banks of the canal at the boat races; crowded steamers at the yacht races; crowded arenas in the pavilions for the boxing and wrestling; crowded stands at the swimming; and the stadium in which were held the track and field sports and the equestrian events filled at all times, and on many occasions jammed so beyond capacity as to leave many thousands clamoring at the gates.

[graphic][merged small]
[graphic]

...better to say it with a fence!

TAY on the playground"... To the lively

boy and girl this is just one of a hundred rules. Just another rule to remember...or to break when the chance comes. Children receive so many commands that little attention is paid to any of them.

The only sure way to keep children on the playground...in safety...is to prevent escape. Children cannot dash into the highway when the playground is enclosed with an Anchor Playground Fence.

You can have Anchor Fence protection for your playground at a very low yearly cost. The nearest Anchor office is a part of the Anchor National Fencing Service-competent to advise and enclose your playground. Write for our special Playground Fence Catalog.

ANCHOR POST FENCE COMPANY

Eastern Ave. & Kane St., Baltimore, Md.
Albany; Boston; Charlotte; Chicago; Cincinnati;
Cleveland; Detroit; Hartford; Houston; Los Angeles;
Mineola, L. I.; Newark; New York; Philadelphia;
Pittsburgh; St. Louis; San Francisco; Shreveport.
Representatives in other principal cities

[merged small][graphic]

Two one day winter sports carnivals for Community Center neighborhoods in St. Paul, Minnesota, have been outlined by the Department of Parks, Playgrounds and Public Buildings. These programs are put on by the department in cooperation with a committee from the neighborhood.

ONE DAY ICE CARNIVAL No. 1

4:00 P. M.

Skating races for school children
Boys 10-11 years of age—one lap race
Girls 10-11 years of age-one lap race
Boys 12-13 years of age-two lap race
Girls 12-13 years of age-two lap race
Boys 14-15 years of age-four lap race
Girls 14-15 years of age-four lap race
Novelty Stunts

1. Skateless race-Boys 12-14 years of age
Skateless race-Girls 12-14 years of age
2. One-skate race-Boys 10-12 years of age
One-skate race-Girls 10-12 years of age

3. Broom race-Boys 13-14 years of age

(One boy sits on broom; another boy skates and pulls him.)

4. Three-Legged race-Girls 13-14 years of age (Use skate straps for inside legs and skates on outside.)

[blocks in formation]

ONE DAY ICE CARNIVAL No. 2

4:00 P. M.

1. Sled races--Boys 12 years of age and under Sled races-Girls 12 and 13 years of age 2. Short Toboggan races-Boys 12-14 years, two to toboggan

Short Taboggan races-Girls 14-15 years, two to toboggan

Long Toboggan races-Boys and girls mixed 13 and over, four on a toboggan

4. Ski race-Boys 12-13 years of age Ski race-Girls 13-14 years of age

5. Ski-Kjoring-On ice, boys or girls under 15 (One boy on skates with ropes around waist pulls the other on skiis.)

6. Skateless race-Boys 10-11 years of age Skateless race-Girls 10-11 years of age 7. Speed skating-Boys 12-13 years of age Speed skating-Girls 12-13 years of age Note: For events 1-2-3-4 a hill is necessary. Event No. 1 may also be on level ground by starting with a run and flop and going to a dead stop for distance.

7:00 P. M.

220 yd. speed skating-Boys 15-16 years of age 220 yd speed skating-Girls 15-16 years of age 440 yd. speed skating-Boys 17-18 years of age 220 yd. low hurdles Open to all boys 100 yd. backward race-Open

100 yd. pushmo race-Boys 14-15 years 100 yd. pushmo race-Girls 14-15 years (One skater pushed by another who is without skates)

7:45 P. M.

Decorated sled parade by children (similar to doll and buggy parade)

8:00 P. M.

1. Arrival of the King of Winter. Grand parade to throne-Proclamation by the King 2. Circus on ice before throne

Suggestions

Elephants on skates (two men in each elephant) Giraffe on skates (two men in each giraffe) Hoodis on skates (four boys in it)

Clowns on skates-doing stunts on ice

Clowns without skates-doing stunts on ice and snow

Mut and Jeff stunt on skates or without skates Maggie and Jiggs stunt

[blocks in formation]

in open places Solvay Calcium Chloride should be applied to the surface in order to prevent discomfort caused by dust.

SOLVAY CALCIUM CHLORIDE

is being used as a surface dressing for Children's playgrounds with marked satisfaction.

It will not stain the children's clothes or playthings. Its germicidal property is a
feature which has the strong endorsement of physicians and playground directors,
Solvay Calcium Chloride is not only an excellent dust layer but at the same time
kills weeds, and gives a compact play surface. Write for New Booklet 1159 Today!
SOLVAY SALES CORPORATION

Alkalies and Chemical Products Manufactured by the Solvay Process Company
40 RECTOR STREET
NEW YORK

Broom ball without skates on ice
Kiddy car polo on ice

Hobby horse race on skates or without skates Conclude with chariot race (four boys pull sled with a driver on it like a chariot. It may be on skates or without.)

3. Fireworks display

The approximate cost of Carnival No. 1 is estimated at $280; of program No. 2 at $325.

Those Christmas Toys!-"Have you tucked away the Santa Claus spirit along with the Christmas toys?" This is the inquiry of the Playgrounds Association of Philadelphia which has established a circulating toy library. The Association has invited children to bring their cast-off toys to the office of the Playgrounds Association where they will be put in packages and sent to the twelve municipal centers, the twenty-two settlements of the city and numerous day nurseries and hospitals. Each package will contain enough entertainment for twenty-five children. Different types of packages-for example, one with mechanical toys, others with games and dolls are recorded. These lists are then sent to the centers and the workers in charge may request

the kinds of toys their children want. Each package will remain in one place for two weeks or so, and then an entirely different one may be taken out.

The Pig Becomes an Eductor
(Continued from page 709)

ging the property, once it was claimed. Now
there are some people whom a chicken will not
trust, especially if they appear to have St. Vitus.
It is a real accomplishment to entice a chicken to
eat out of your hand. Another chicken race was
held later in the year. This was to see who could
first make her chicken shut both eyes.

Perhaps the most favorite friend was Sammy Crow. He would fly down from an elm tree and feed out of Anita's hand. The first time that he did this she cried with joy. Alas! Sammy became too trusting and was killed by an automobile. The children wanted a funeral. Never having officiated at a crow funeral I had many misgivings. I wondered if they were hatching up an occasion for a good cry. Fortunately it occurred to me that I could put across certain ideas by this means. The time and place was set for the ceremony. Each patrol was asked to hold

« AnteriorContinua »