Lansingburgh High School - Odyssey Yearbook (Troy, NY)

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'F' THE ODYSSEY 4' '-L While the development of talents and the growth of personality are primary goals of recreational leadership, character development is the crowning achievement. There is probably no other time so opportune for the recreational leader to exert his influence upon a youth as during a game. It is at this time that an individual gives himself most fully and is most liable to adhere to suggestions. The game is the greatest testing medium for conduct and character. Formerly, in school work, competition was considered as offering something as a goal for which a student might work for. Now, however, there are definite signs of a renascence. Cooperation is surviving, while its opposite, competition, which often is based on the law of the jungle, is being abandoned. Pupils are no longer urged to vie with each other for the sake of proving their own superiority. On the contrary, they are taught to play their part for the love of the work or the game-not for the prize. Many have discontinued the plan of keeping score in athletic games, to bring out the idea of playing for the sake of play, rather than for victory. To give proofs of this one view of modern education let me mention dennite examples. The Cora Williams School in Berkeley has for years been without a system of report cards even to report attendance or citizenship. Likewise, Chicago University has recently abandoned the marking system in underg1'aduate activities. Bronxville public schools exercise a plan by which each pupil is measured by standards adapted to his own capacities. He is n-ot compared with other members of his class, but graded on his owe effort according t-o his own ability. Furthermore, the New York Times recently ran the report that Hamline University will reorganize its whole curriculum so that intellectual maturity and not grades and credits will be used as a basis of college advancement. The Machine Age seems to have turned youth's mind from cultural interests to vocational interests. I might explain that according to Dr. Lowell, president of Harvard University, the object of a cultural educa- tion is to broaden and deepen the range of thought, while that of the vocational is to prepare one for a definite occupation. The vocational plan, of course, does fit in well with this modern industrial world. But there is a question whether or not these finer arts of the world on which our civilization has been built, and which so characterized those ancient heroes of the first centuries, should be forsaken. It is held that if one has acquired a cultural approach to learning-that is, not merely a super- ficial acquaintance with many things, without thqroughly comprehending any of them, he will recognize the difference between profound and shal- low knowledge. Such a person will be capable of entering deeply into other things because he will be able to think for himself 9 whereas, one who has merely touched upon various subjects may shine as a great talker but will prove to be a poor thinker. Thus, according to President Lowell, cultural education would seem to include a solid knowledge of some sub- ject sought for the purpose, not of practice in the subject, but of mastering it from the standpoint of intellectual curiosity. Considering the extent to which the cultural studies are being pushed aside by the vocational, this advice of President Lowell seems very timely. So far in our discussion we have considered the educational situa- tion only as it refers to normal people. Time will not permit us to men- tion the immense efforts that have been established for the education of the physically and mentally handicapped children of the nation. Prac- tically every state in the union maintains great schools for the care of its ' 18

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'3' '-' THE ODYSSEY ' 73' '- Health education is not considered one of the primary responsibil- ities of the recreation leader, who, however, recognizes the importance of this work in the schools. All sorts of sports, games, hiking, swimming, gardening, camping, and innumerable other activities are enjoyed in the schools and recognized as a necessity of healthful, joyous play. Further- more, all recreation programs are planned in the light of health consider- ation, adaptation -of activities with regard to age, sex and physical qual- ities, proper balance of strenuous and quiet activities, and adequate safe guards. All around physical activities are sought, especially activities which may be employed not merely during school days, but throughout the greater part of life, and those activities which will constantly assist in keeplng one physically and mentally fit. All recognize that the home is the fundamental unit of our social and civic structure. Growing attention is being given to the development of services and activities which will aid parents to build up an increasing interest in the family environment. Recreation leaders are fully aware of the fact that a lively and developing family play life is of fundamental importance. It is said that the family that plays together stays together, and many cities have conducted special campaigns arranged to inspire and inform families concerning home recreations. One of the special services of the National Educational Association is through its national physical education service, which has done much to secure state laws requiring compulsory physical education in schools. A recreation leader's philosophy of learning is the unfolding of per- sonality. Under the leadership of qualified persons recreation programs and public play are highly educational. These programs are based upon child interests and develop growth in manual, physical, dramatic, lingu- istic, and social powers. The child is introduced to nature by actual con- tact, not merely as an instructive study, but as something beautiful and as fascinating as a game. Educating for leisure has two aspects: first, the learning of skills, and second, the satisfaction of the actual employ- ment of these skills by whatever facilities and opportunities the commun- ity offers. Thus, while learning a skill, the child learns also to cooperate and coordinate. Are not these, knowledge and cooperation, the great bal- ance wheel of our social and civic life. Public recreation is largely group work. The work of the athletic teams, orchestras, dramatic groups, choruses, reading and discussion clubs all involve team work. They are citizenship training to a high de- gree. Individuals are taught the meaning of working together-working for the benefit and welfare of all-with this object placed above per- sonal gain. A wide variety of play activities promoting the development of skill and the growth of personality has a very important bearing upon the in- dividual in the choice of a vocation and upon preparation for successful work and accomplishments in later life. Public recreation may, too, render this service to one-inspire him with the spirit of the game-which spirit he may draw into his life work-and thus lighten its burden. One of the primary concerns of recreation as a leisure movement is guidance in avocations. What the child does in his play may carry over into lasting hobbies for pleasure outlets in later life. Recreation programs involve a broad field of activities, from spinning tops to community sym- phony orchestras. Certainly each individual is sure to find something to his liking in such rich opportunities. 17

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- JI- THE ODYSSEY 'T' less fortunate citizens. Who can measure not only the great amount of sin and crime that have been prevented but also the immense amount of joy and life satisfactions that have been inculcated and developed by these means among these people! The new creative view of education claims that young people already have native powers of exceptional educational value. Listen to the words of the poet Milton written before the Machine Age was dreamed of: I shall detain you no longer in the demonstration of what we should not do, but straight conduct ye to a hillside where I will point ye out the path of a virtuous and noble education, laborious indeed at the first ascent, but else so smooth, so green, so full of goodly prospect and melodious sounds on each and every side that the harp of Orpheus was no more charming. -DOROTHY A. WHLTWELL llgllistory, wtlhe Great Vllweaclher ISTOPY' That stupendous pageant that goes back to the 1 ,!FY.Qa:7r!? N ' 1 1 . It Z times of the old patriarchs with their flocks and herds, the Sv keen-eyed Greek, the stately Roman, the watching Jew, the uncouth Goth, the horrid Hun, the settled picture -of the un- kind' '21 changing East, the restless shifting of the rapid West, the rise of the cold and classical civilization, its fall, the rough, impetuous Middle Ages, the vague warm picture of ourselve and home. Dionysus said, History is philosophy teaching by example. Surely, then, it is our task to be historically-minded, to judge tolerantly, to see things in the proper perspective, to study the thoughts and actions of different men in different situations. We should follow the lead of this great teacher, History, in our effort to describe an ever-rising curve of civilization. Life is too short for us to stumble through blindly. The chronicle of man is full of examples which serve as guides and signposts in national politics, in community politics and certainly most greatly in our individual lives. Every event has a result. This statement in itself is practically axiomatic. However, carrying this idea a little more in detail, and study- ing closely any portion of the world's history, we evolve the interesting fact, that any abnormal or unusual event is followed by another event which acts as a balance wheel. A war is an abnormal event, and every one of them is followed by a balancing event, which is called an aftermath. The aftermath of the Civil War, the Reconstruction Period, was characterized not only by a political revolution, but by economic, social, and intellectual revolutions as wel . The whole economic life of the South was upturned, the social pyra- mid was stood upon its apex,' ' and great intellectual progress in educa- tion, newspapers, religion, and literature was realized. The aftermath of the World War has been characterized by dis- turbances even greater. By reason of several complex factors the United States has been established as a great creditor nation of this world, second only to Great Britain. In short, what was ruinous to other nations, bol- stered us up. The depression of 1921 was deeper by reason of primary and secondary causes of the war. It has been cited by numerous histor- 19