Dre Elbel

Dr. Allen

Dre Elbel

ce

Surely, if education is to aid a man to find his place in
society, some training must be in the direetion of making a live=
lihood. But for years we have disregarded everything clsee With
increasing leisure due to our cconomic system we must and are roe
cognizing that the progressive and hapyy society is one which
knows how to occupy itself in worthy pursuits during leisure hours.
Statistics point in the direction that there will be an increasing
anount of lcisure in the years to come, and schools must concern
thonselves with the problem of educating the citizens of the
future in constructive loisure tine activities which contribute
materially to the social and moral well-being of socictye

Do you speak entirely of activities of a physical nature?

No, recreation should not be viewed entiroly as active
game type activities. The field of recreation is about as diver=
sified as the varied opinions of the individuals who go to make
up & given communitye But activity of some sort is essential to

. happy living and we should not lose sight of the fact that active

Dre Allen

Dr. Elbel

recreation now plays an important part in the daily life of the
population and will play an ever-increasing part in the life of
any cormunitye For this reason the school of the future will look
to the physical education program as an important element in the
comparatively new philosophy of cducation for leisure.

A later program will no doubt cover this point, but while
on the subject of recreation it might be well to mention that
rapid strides have been made in treatment of those who are nontally
ill by forms of recreational therapy. How many of these abnorn-
alitics could have been prevented by adequate reereation or
physical education programs during ond after school hours will
perhaps never be known.

Yes, I heartily agree with you, Dre Elbel, that the benefits
of recreational therapy have hardly been recognizede. I an very.
sure that this depression has hastened the recognition of this
type of therapy, and it will be much more in evidence in the
immediate futuree Now, the most inportent point of all - the
item regarding the curriculune Will you please clucidate on this,
Dre Elbel?

I have a fecling that to be of benefit in its largest sensc,
physical education nust follow a scientifically graded curriculum
based upon inherent biological and psychologicai elements anc age
limits of the individuais involved. It must teach skiils, make
allowance for individual differencese The curricuiu should not
be based entirely upon athletic competition but should ofter
sufficient experience in this respect to allow the studcnt the
opportunity to bencfit by actively engaging in well regulated
contests.