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UDOC
L 5.20:44

U. S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
CHILDREN’S BUREAU
JULIA C LATHROP. Chief

AF^

CHILDREN’S YEAR

6

^919 6

PATRIOTIC PLAY WEEK
SUGGESTIONS TO LOCAL CHILDWELFARE COMMITTEES
Q

C H IL D R E N 'S Y E A R L E A F L E T N O .

4

Bureau Publication No. 44

PREPARED IN COLLABORATION WITH
THE CHILD WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF THE WOMAN'S COMMITTEE
COUNCIL OF NATIONAL DEFENSE
and
THE PLAYGROUND AND RECREATION ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA

W ASHINGTON
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

1918

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CHILDREN’ S YEAR
SUGGESTIONS FOR PATRIOTIC P LA Y W EEK

,

,

“ To 'provide recreation fo r children and youth abundant decent
protected from any form o f exploitation

,

The primary purpose o f the Recreation Drive, o f which Patriotic
Play Week is the culminating feature, is to increase physical vigor
among the children o f the United States. It is hoped to do this
through the cooperation o f organizations promoting wartime ac­
tivities which require physical strength and skill, and other activities
which are equally important in peace and war. Among these or­
ganizations are the War Gardens of the United States Bureau of
Education, the Junior Red Cross, and the Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs of
the Department of Agriculture, and various athletic organizations
for children and youth.
The Recreation Drive aims to promote the games which increase
physical adeptness and skill, which train the eye, and develop the
ability to respond instantly not only to the direction o f the leader
but to the need o f the game. One purpose of the Drive must be to im­
plant in the minds of the children the idea that keeping themselves
fit is patriotic, and that they are serving their country when they
makes themselves stronger. Indiana has adopted for the Recreation
Drive the slogan, “ For a Stronger America.”

ORGANIZATION
The committee’s first work in getting ready for Patriotic Play
Week is to discover all the organizations in the community which
are already at work to protect children’s leisure-time activities, and
so to enlist their interest as to make the Patriotic Play Week truly
a demonstration of'all'th at the community is doing to provide for
its children’s activities.
The committee will wish to arrange especially for the participation
o f local recreational organizations. It will need to learn whether
there are representatives who can be called upon to demonstrate the
work o f such organizations as the Boy Scouts, Gamp Fire Girls, Girl
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(3)

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Scouts, The Junior Membership Bureau o f the American Red Cross,
The Drama League of America, The Amateur Athletic Union o f the
United States, Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs o f the United States Depart­
ment of Agriculture, The Community Chorus Movement, The War
Gardens of the United States Bureau o f Education, The Story Tel­
lers’ League, The Educational Drama League, The American Folk
Dance Society, The Playground and Recreation Association of
America. The addresses, of these organizations are given on the last
page of this leaflet.
An exhibit of the work of some of the organizations, such, for ex­
ample, as the Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs, is an already well-established
custom each year; and the members of the clubs plan their work
throughout the summer with the purpose o f showing it at the
autumn exhibit.
. I f there are no suitable organizations already existing, games for
the athletic badge tests may be developed under the leadership of in­
dividuals who are interested in seeing that the leisure time of the
children in their community is protected.

DATE.
The first week in September has been suggested for Patriotic Play
Week, but it may be more advantageous in some communities to select
another date—for instance:
1. The week during which a county fair, grange, bush meeting, or
other community gathering is to take place, that the Play Week’s
exhibit of what the community can do for its children’s leisure time
may be part o f such a neighborhood meeting.
2. A single Saturday or series o f Saturdays—possibly during Octo­
ber, when the schools are in session—with the purpose of enlisting the
interest of the teachers.
In any event, the date should be chosen in accordance with the
needs and convenience of each community.
/
.
I f it is determined to hold the Week’s celebration in connection
with a county fair or other gathering, the manager of the fair should
be consulted and arrangements for space and hours made for the
Play Week exhibit. ' The exhibit would attract many mothers and
fathers to the fair because of their desire to see what their children
are doing. I f the Week is not to be held in connection with any other
community event, much the same plan for the Play Week may still be
followed. The Week in any case will have to be varied to utilize the
special resources of each locality. In some communities a briefer
period than a week may be determined upon.


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PROGRAM SUGGESTIONS.
The Patriotic Play Week gives an opportunity for the children to
show what games and other leisure-time activities have done or may
do for them. T h e i r e x h ib it may take several form s:
x. A T H L E T IC BADGE TESTS OF P H Y SIC A L EFFICIENCY.

The athletic badge tests might be arranged as a simplified field
meet would be. They are offered as a practicable way of testing the
physical vigor of boys and girls. They might take place on a stated
day during the Play Week. The boys and girls who pass them be­
come eligible for a special certificate—the first in a series of three
offered for successive and increasingly difficult tests, to be given at
intervals of a year. Certificates may be secured free of charge from
the Playground and Recreation Association of America for each child
who passes the tests. Descriptions of the tests may be secured from
the Child Welfare Department, Woman’s Committee, Council of
National Defense, Washington, D. C. Fuller directions for conduct­
ing them may be secured by writing to the Playground and Recrea­
tion Association of America, 1 Madison Avenue, New York, N. Y.,
for their pamphlets called “ Badge Tests.”
An excellent means of stimulating the children’s interest in keep­
ing strong and in increasing their physical vigor is to repeat these
badge tests from time to time, giving an opportunity to the children
who are unable to pass them at first to take the tests again 6 weeks
or 90 days later. I f it is possible to plan for such progressive tests,
the children should be informed, and urged to play the games which
will increase the likelihood of their passing the tests.
Directions for playing certain good games, which have direct
Value in promoting physical vigor, will be sent free on application
to the Playground and Recreation Association of America.
There are many additional ways in which recreation may be
utilized to cultivate physical vigor- The Boy Scouts, for example,
do many things which increase the boys’ health. Members o f such
athletic organizations, whether national or local, should have espe­
cially good chances o f passing the physical tests; and their work
should be promoted as part of the Recreation Drive.
2. E X H IB IT S OF TH E W O R K OF TH E B O Y SCOUTS, CAMP FIR E GIRLS,
AND G IR L SCOUTS.

The special drills, the first-aid demonstrations, and other char­
acteristic requirements o f these organizations enable their members
to make peculiarly definite and attractive demonstrations o f what
the organizations mean. Demonstrations o f their special war-time


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6
activities would be especially appropriate. Preparation for these
exhibitions should constitute a large part o f the summer’s play.
For further information consult: Boy Scouts of America, 200
Fifth Avenue, New York, N. Y. ; Gamp Fire Girls, 31 East Seven­
teenth Street, New York, N. Y .; and Girls Scouts o f America, 527
Fifth Avenue, New York, N. Y.
3.

E X H IB IT S OF THINGS M ADE AND RAISED.

(1) The Junior Red Cross auxiliaries may well be called upon to
conduct a section o f the exhibit in which they can show the things
they make, knit, and sew for the soldiers, sailors, and refugees. In ­
formation about these auxiliaries can be obtained from local Red
Cross Chapter School Committees.
(2) The Canning Clubs o f the United States Department of Agri­
culture will undoubtedly have plans for special exhibits o f goods they
have preserved and dried in the Nation-wide effort to conserve food ;
and demonstrations of their methods, at some time during the
autumn, are probably contemplated. In many places these exhibits
may be planned for the same time as Play Week.
The Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs of the United States Department o f
Agriculture are represented on the Advisory Committee on the Rec­
reation Drive, and their leaders are interested in securing better
recreation for the club members and in seeing that provision is made
for organized play and games such as those contemplated in prepara­
tion for Play Week. It is expected that many clubs will wish tohold their exhibits and demonstrations in connection with Play
Week, thus making it possible to show the various ways in which
the community is providing for the leisure time ,of the children. The
great need o f the work which these clubs are doing will make their
exhibit particularly timely.
(3) Stock and Poultry Raising Clubs should be asked to enter
their chickens, calves, and pigs in another exhibit.
Information about both the Canning Clubs and the Stock and
Poultry Raising Clubs may be secured for the Northern and Western
States from Mr. O. H. Benson, and for the Southern States from Mr.
O. B. Martin, both to be addressed at the Extension Work, States
Relation Service, United States Department of Agriculture.
4. PAG EAN TRY, FO LK DANCES, AND MUSIC.

(1)
A fitting climax of the entire summer’s effort would be a
pageant staged on the last day of Patriotic Play Week. This might
be made doubly .effective if staged at the county fair. It might
begin with a procession or a moving exhibit o f all results accom­
plished, from a given point to a position in front o f the grand stand,


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where, with symbolic characters participating and the real char­
acters forming a background, a brief drama might be enacted, con­
secrating both effort and resources to Columbia and the cause of
human freedom.
(2) Folk dances of different countries might be given to advan­
tage in many communities, and the children would enjoy getting
together to practice them. Assistance in planning folk dances may
be secured from Miss Elizabeth Burchenal, American Folk Dance
Society, 2790 Broadway, New York, N. Y.
(3) The patriotic appeal of the new songs is strong; and many
singing or glee clubs and bands will, it is hoped, be started during
the Recreation Drive. People like to get together and sing, and
they should be urged to form definite groups to provide the music
at the Play Week celebrations. In several States directors of com­
munity singing have been appointed under the State Councils of
Defense, whose cooperation in Play Week will be valuable. It may
be desirable to have a song contest among different choruses and
glee clubs; between the boys and girls who have formed themselves
into bands and orchestras. Perhaps original patriotic songs might
be composed by some one in the clubs and rendered as the musical
contribution to the exhibit. In one State an effort is being made to
organize penny whistle clubs among the little boys who otherwise
might be idling on the streets.
(4) At the 1918 State Fair in Washington there is planned an
exhibit of simple toys suitable for children o f different ages and o f
•homemade play apparatus. Such an exhibit might well be made a
feature of the Play Week. Demonstrations o f certain games for
.young children might be given—for example, work in sand boxes,
and floor games. In this connection, the sections on outdoor and
■indoor play in “ Child Care ” will be helpful.1
Some clubs or organizations o f women might be asked to take
charge of serving meals at the exhibit if that seems desirable. It
should be possible in this way to defray at least part of the ex­
penses o f the Week.

AWARDS.
SomiTO^^^^^^Ih^|Ma,.mve awards for each one of the exhibits
outlin ed
iVetej'Yp;!^ to hold. In that case a care­
fully selected
j-iidBWfejjwiA. of course, have to be
appointed. The in g e m m ^ ^ y lo ^ fe p ^ ^ fte e s would determine the
awards—possibly different cpK «® ^ ^ ^ w is might be used. In any
case the prizes should not be elaborate nor expensive.
1 Child Care, by Mrs. Max W est, may be secured free of charge from the Children’s Bu­
reau, United States Department of Labor, W ashington, D. C.


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When the Recreation Committee has surveyed the resources o f its
community for recreation it will be able to choose which o f these
exhibits it will wish to undertake. Local talent will doubtless be
able to invent other demonstrations particularly adapted to the com­
munity’s special abilities.
In each exhibit some one person should be made responsible for
seeing that everything is made ready, and that the children are col­
lected and prepared to do their parts on time. But above all, that
person and every member of the committee should see that all the
children who take part in the exhibit enjoy what they do; that they
find real fun in getting ready; that they do outdoor things, and prac­
tice outdoors; that in every way the preparation itself counts as pro­
tection of their leisure time.

LIST OF ORGANIZATIONS FROM WHOM ADVICE CAN
BE SECURED.
Amateur Athletic Union of the United States, 290 Broadway, New York, N. Y.
American Folk Dance Society, 2790 Broadway, New York, N. Y.
American Red Cross, Bureau of Junior Membership, Washington, D. C.
Boy Scouts of America, 200 Fifth Avenue, New York, N. Y.
Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs, Cooperative Extension Work, United States Depart­
ment of Agriculture, Washington, D. C.
Camp Fire Girls, 31 East Seventeenth Street, New York, N. Y.
Drama League o f America, 306 Riggs Building, Washington, D. C.
' Educational Drama League, 105 West Fortieth Street, New York, N. Y.
Girl Scouts of America, 527 Fifth Avenue, New York, N. Y.
National Story Tellers’ League, 3 Kennedy Street, NW., Washington, D. G.
: New York Community Chorus—Mr. Harry Barnhart, 2410 Webb Avenue, New
York, N. Y.
Playground and Recreation Association of America, 1 Madison Avenue, New
York, N. Y.
United States School Garden Army, United States Bureau of Education*
Washington, D. C.

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