| COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION
ae AND PLANNING

Youth clubs—‘‘Teen-towns,”’ ‘‘Reks’’ or ‘‘School-door-
canteens’’—have captured young imaginations throughout
the country. They represent a real community asset, but
they are not the whole answer to youth recreation needs.
They are important as part of a youth program, especially
when they offer games, crafts, hobbies and club activities as
well as dances and parties. But they are just a part. The
goal of youth recreation is a program of many activities,
serving all teens and satisfying all their interests.

Every well-rounded youth program should be community-
wide and neighborhood-based. Part of its appeal may be in
the ‘‘down-town”’ attraction, but its strength is in neighbor-
hood activities. For this reason, neighborhood centers,
playgrounds and playfields are needed. Good leadership is
needed, both professional and volunteer, both adult and
teen-age. Equipment and funds are needed. A strong and

representative committee structure is needed, to plan and
act. Such a program is a sizeable job to be undertaken by
the whole community.

The War Recreation Committee

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The experience of 1,300 communities shows that it is wise
to place central responsibility in the hands of a War Recrea-
tion Committee. Its job has become well defined: to survey
the needs of the whole community, to assess existing facilities
and programs, to stimulate their expansion, to map new
programs, and to find the necessary funds and leadership.
War Recreation Committees may be started by Defense
Councils, by Mayors, by public or private agencies. But
one thing is sure, no single group or interest can hope to

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