CHILDREN & GAMES

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 147, 19 March 1934, Page 4

CHILDREN & GAMES

Mob Effort Condemned SPONTANEOUS PLAY BEST Dominion Special Service Masterton, March 17. Play in relationship to school sport was discussed by Mr. C. A. Batt, of Wellington, in a lecture to members of the Masterton branch of the New Zealand Teachers’ Federation. In the speaker's opinion, it was somewhat difficult to make a distinction between work and play. He could not help thinking it was principally a question of emotional attitude, and it was one’s attitude against anything that counted. Play was an attitude plus effort, and work was very much the same thing, but the work attitude missed a great deal of the enjoyment that marked the play attitude. Work and play, he considered, were a matter of attitude toward effort, plus effort. It was the play attitude that should be encouraged as far as possible in everything that we did, Mr. Batt asserted, for the person who adopted that attitude had more physical vitality, a wider interest, and a more joyous outlook than the person who adopted the work attitude. The former also developed plenty of self-confidence. According to Mr. Batt there was too much training in the present system of organised games, which, ho contended, were not true play, because play, particularly in the case of children, should be spontaneous. Another trouble with organised sport was that it was usually competitive, and competitive sport was tending to make a football scrummage out of life. Organised games left too little to the imagination of a child, and also encouraged wrong emotionalism, one of the worst things in the world. Mr. Batt dealt at length with mob psychology and individuality. He considered that training in mob effort was a vicious thing and seriously questioned whether it was the right thing to teach a child to play for his team. Individuality was sacrificed in team games and a child cither indulged himself or suppressed himself in mob effort, but did not develop himself. A discussion followed the address.

WANGANUI ITEMS Briclge-to-Bridge Races Wanganui. March 17. The annual bridge to bridge races, over a course exceeding two miles in Icugth, wore decided to-day. Originally this event was for both meu and women swimmers, but last year it was divided into two, one section for the men and the other for the women. K. Harrison (Central club), with a handicap of 6min., won the men’s section, his time being 37.45. B. Haworth (Central), with 30sec. handicap, came second, putting up the fastest time for the course. 33.34. D. Gowan (Avenue), who started from scratch, filled third place, his time being 33.47. There were nine starters in the men's section, and e;x finished the whole distance. In the women’s section, Miss Alexander, who had a handicap of 7.30. was first, her time being 37.37. Miss Quirk (si) was second, doing the distance in 38.55. Third position was filled by Miw E. McDonald (30), who did the distance in the fastest time in the women’s section, 33.58. The course was from the Aramoho railway bridge to the city bridge near the town wharf. The winner of the men’s section takes the Williams Cup and winner of the women’s the Central Cup. Collegiate School Old Boys.

The annual meeting of the Wanganui branch of the Collegiate School Old Boys Association was held yesterday. Mr. G. I-I. Pownall presiding over an attendance of about 40. In a brief annual report Mr. Pownall reviewed the activities of the past year, pointing out that the branch had done well. The election of officers resulted.: President, Mr. G. H. Pownall; vice-presidents. Messrs. AV. J. B. Tripe, F. K. Turnbull. P. G. Breminer, Acton Kellick, C. N. McLean, and the Rev. S. R. Gardiner; joint secretaries, Messrs. Dix and Stroud; hon. secretary, Mr. G. G. Burgess: delegate to association parent body, Mr. G. H. Pownall; representation of the collegians, Mr. G. A. Bullock-Doug-las; committee. Messi's. D. G. Young. W. G. Lewis. Kenneth Armstrong, B. M. Silk. G. A. Bullock-Douglas, and E. H. L. Bernau.