Agawam High School - Sachem Yearbook (Agawam, MA)

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I heard, the other day, a story of a young man who attended high school and then college where he stood very high in his studies. When he was a child, his father and mother had never allowed him to play freely with other beys. He had spent most of his leisure time with his mind on his books. yie completed his college work and received high honors but he was on thefYerge of a nervous breakdown, rsothing satisfied his taste. He did not care for sports because he had not learned their value. His friend took him trout fishing but nothing interested him. He did not know how to play. By studying how to improve the situation of today, we can prepare for tomorrow. It is while it is in its infancy that Agawam should buy land for its future needs. We can observe in Springfield the effect of reserving land for recrea- tion purposes. Recreation centers like Forest Park have been given to the city by prominent men. These places draw thousands of people every week who attend athletic contests or participate in them. There is at present at Agawam an urgent need for an athletic field suited not only for high school sports but also for all forms of recreation. Tennis courts, baseball diamonds, football gridirons, swimming pools, and a supervised playground for children, when will it come? , a±. (?, The women of Agawam, the Parent-Teachers’ Association,a have work- ed hard to raise funds to provide the smaller children with swings, and they hope later to buy the complete playground equipment. It is difficult for any organization of this kind to carry out its plans of advancement alone; therefore, it is up to the people of Agawam to support any attempts of or- ganization which the town, or groups, may make for the benefit of every- one in the community. Many beneficent individuals are in this audience. Some one of you may have not only the desire to help the town to secure adequate recreation grounds, but also means to carry the project through. Recreation parks are beautiful memorials to loyal-hearted citizens. What name will be associated with Agawam’s? But we cannot wait idly with great expectations. Let us all get busy and boost the idea — clean, uplifting sports, recreation for all Agawam. Napoleon Dupuis

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MECMEATIGH EOU EEISUME HOURS wo generations ago many laboring men and women kept at the task for ten and eleven hours of the day. They were not troubled over the question of how to spend hours of recreation. 1-1 Today it’s the eight-hour day, and the question of recreation is already a problem. Tomorrow, says Mr. Ford, prophetically, we may expect a four-hour day. The question of recreation in that event will become a vital one. The improvement in machinery and the increased use of machines have been important factors in this shortening of the laboring hours of a day. Slowly but surely heads of manufacturing plants have become aware of the profit to business in providing adequate recreation facilities. The National Cash Register Company of Dayton, Ohio, was one of the first to acquire plots of ground for the use of recreation. Others followed suit. Life Insurance Companies provide their members with reading rooms and libraries, swimming pools and gymnasiums. Machines have made a change in the home. They enable the house- keeper to have leisure time which she can spend in recreation. Thus the question of recreation becomes one that affects everyone. There are three great values in recreation: First, we have the disciplinary value, what we might call the shock ab- sorber. Boys and girls, of the school age, who are provided with play- grounds and recreational centers keep out of trouble. They go to these places and play ball, tennis, and marbles. The smaller children are even provided with swings and other equipment which keep them well amused all day long. Boys and girls who attend these places enjoy themselves to such an extent that they have little thought of mischief. Keeping a boy or girl out of mischief may be keeping that child out of a reform school. On the recreation ground, children form friendships, learn the value of sports- manship, and learn to co-operate with each other. It is in these places that the boy or girl learns to play the game squarely. He sees the effect of hon- esty and clean living. These are the qualities that make people of value to their community. Second, we have the tonic value. Recreation is welcomed by the laborer, or business man who works strenuously day in and day out. A game of bas- ketball and baseball, a tennis match or a round of golf makes him feel like a new man. Large factories are now securing land for golf courses, tennis courts, and ball diamonds. Shop leagues are organized which arouse great rivalry between contenders. Most factories arc represented by athletic teams. The McCallum Silk and Hosiery Company of Pennsylvania owns a golf course and the factory is represented by a very good golf team. It also sponsors a very good baseball team, capable of playing class A teams. Recreation is a great tonic for the laborer or business man. As a third value we can count contentment. No one is contented unless he feels that he knows how to play, how to spend his leisure time in rec- reation. [28]

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CLASS BOOK COMMITTEE Clifford Poxd, Chairman Ruth Bitgood Pauline Corriveau Helen Humiston