Recreation

RECREATION By Dr. Franklin L. West, Dean of the Faculty, Utah Agricultural College The Book of Mormon declares that, "Man is that he may have joy." This means joy in this life, here and now, as well as in the next sphere of existence. People who have the right attitude toward work usually enjoy their job, but the number that really like their daily work is really small. A life devoted only to work becomes drab, dull and monotonous. Some form of recreation is necessary to prevent a blurring of the finer sensibilities, and to insure health of body and mind. People who think that play is a waste of time, or who do not have time for relaxation because of the large amount of work they map out for themselves, should remember that more work and better work can be done when it alternates with rest, change, or play. Ambitious men have exchanged their health for a fortune, and then have spent the fortune in the futile attempt to get back their health. Men and women at middle age become too serious and frequently through living too much to themselves, get into a rut. To them cessation of work means only loneliness. They crave the association of their fellows, and yet they do not know how to make friends. The fact that hundreds of thousands of professional men have of late joined the Rotary, Kiwanis and Lions clubs testifies to man's hunger for fellowship. The work of the ladies is by nature more confining even than that of the men and they, too, crave comradeship and social ex- pression. Weary and lonely, these men and women pay money to watch professionals on the stage or on the athletic field, play, sitting in the theatre or on the bleachers, instead of getting the stimulation and exhilaration that comes from social intercourse and participation in the play or game themselves. It has well been said, "Bleachers bleach the blood." Facilities should be provided to teach people how to express themselves in happy recreational forms and active leadership, furnished to care for the free-time releases of the people. While cessation of work means loneliness to one class of peo- ple, to another it means licentiousness and vice. When the day's work is over or school has adjourned, organized, well directed high- grade dancing parties, or out-door vigorous play or athletic contests, are much to be preferred to loafing on street corners or in the pool hall where the air is thick with swearing, tobacco smoke, and coarse jests. The great worth of human souls demands that time and money be expended to make adequate provision for the leisure time of the people. It is cheaper to build a fence around a precipice than to run an ambulance at the bottom, for reform schools and penitentiaries are very expensive institutions.

740 IMPROVEMENT ERA The adolescent period is the most dangerous time in a person's life — too immature either to vote or to hold property, and yet the young people, at this tender age, select their life companions and choose their vocations when the emotions are at their highest power and largely dominate the life. These young folks should be given an opportunity to widen their circle of acquaintance and the dance makes this possible. They would rather dance than engage in any other pastime, and this social need should be provided for. High standards, however, should be maintained, by reasonable, tactful, and firm dance-directors who know Left: Dr. Thomas D. Wood, Prof, of Physical Education, Columbia, University. Center: Dr. R. C. McLain, Supervisor of Health Education, Detroit, Michi- gan. Right: Dr. Emmett D. Angell, Lecturer at Yale, Harvard and Wisconsin Universities. Recreational Leadership. their business. Parents need to be mindful of the dangers that lurk in the keeping of late hours, and the unchaperoned joy riding follow- ing the dance. Realizing the great importance of proper morale in the army, millions of dollars were spent in providing games, entertainments and amusements for the soldiers, because these recreational activities have a direct bearing upon success in battle. They also have a profound in- fluence upon success in the battle of life. The amount of money that is being expended by cities for di- rected play is very large, and is increasing in amount each year with a corresponding increase in patronage on the part of citizens. Greater physical fitness, and a reduction in juvenile delinquency is the result; e. g., in Miami, Fla. the grist of the juvenile court had fallen from 25 cases a month to 5 cases, six months after the establishment of public playgrounds. Topeka, Kansas, found that truancy decreased

RECREATION 741 where playgrounds were established near the schools. Many cities re- ported a complete absence of Halloween mischief and property destruc- tion when community celebrations were made to take the place of un- directed pranks. These play activities directed youthful vigor into wholesome and constructive channels. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints recognized the importance of this problem, and adopted a very excellent and com- prehensive recreational program which is being carried out by the Mutual Improvement Associations under the direction of the Priest- hood. Stake and Ward committees have been appointed throughout the Church and institutes have been held in some of the stakes to train teachers for the work. The Utah Agricultural College whose mission it is to serve the people of the state, has prepared regular courses of instruction to be given in the first six weeks of Summer School, designed especially to train young people to effectively do their work as recreational com- mitteemen, as well as train general community leaders. We have selected three men of national reputation in this field to give the work. Dr. Thomas D. Wood is head of the Department of Physical Edu- cation at Columbia University, Dr. R. C. McLain is supervisor of Health Education in Detroit, Michigan, and is generally considered the authority in this field, and Dr. Emmett D. Angell, is a lecturer at Yale, Harvard, and Wisconsin, universities and is probably the best and most inspiring man in the field of Recreational Leadership in the United States. Eleven other teachers of National reputation from the regular faculties of America's largest universities will give two to three regular classes daily during the Summer School. Seven eminent special lecturers will also be present for a week each, giving two lectures a day. In this manner the college expects to do its part, as in the past, in training young people for efficient leadership in the various com- munities of the state. Logan, Utah Now O'er fertile valleys of this vast domain, Waving in sensuous grace, the golden grain Greets my dimming eyes. Born to the purple and pressed into wine, High carnival holds, and the joy is mine, As in youthful days. In pasturage fit for kings of the field — Provender a plenty with its annual yield For those who toil. The nightingale's love-song in passionate lay Is but the precursor of Freedom's day For souls enthralled. Soldiers' Summit, Utah PARLEY BILLS