TAUGHT TO PLAY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1205, 14 August 1911, Page 11

TAUGHT TO PLAY.

'A HAITY REVOLUTION. There was a stir in fcholastic circles in Sydney rcc-ntly (savs the "Sydney .Morning Herald"),' caused by the flying visit of Miss Hughe?, of the London County Council schools. Miss Hughes i.-i the authority in the London educational world on organised games and folk dances, and mnny Echoolmistrwess in Sydney were anxious to learn from her some of tho Morris dances and rhythmic games of which Mhe- is tho mistress. For the value of rhythm in motion is bains generally recognised by all who arc concerned with tho training of children. Four years ago, Miss Hughes told us, sho was appointed by the London County Council to the position of "Lecturer on Organised Games." Tho authorities had very hazy ideas of what form such lectures should take, but they had decided that organised play would bo good for the children, and so the teachers were to bs instructed in the subject, and Miss Hughes was to give the lectures. The lecturer herself admitted to an uncertainty on the subject. Sho did not quite see how she was to fill in the time at 12 lectures—tho Jet course—in talking about games. So very early in the course, in fact at the first lecture, she decided to point the moral of her remarks by practical illustration. She made the suggestion to her audience, and immediately the rows of tired schoolteachers, who had been listening to her remarks with more or less intelligence, jumped up and cried with enthusiasm, "Yet; let us play." So they played—hockey, baseball, twos and three, jolly miller, and many other games. The lecturer scon air tliat this was the way to hold their attention and interest, and looked round for more games to teach. Then came to her tho happy inspiration of teaching them some of the old folk dances, and to these her students took os naturally as ducks to water. After that thcro was no moro hesitation, the training went forward and developed of itself. Hundreds of teachers passed through Miss Hughe-s's classrs; they in turn passed the knowledge on to their scholars, and now tho dulness and dreariness of tho London sclioolgrniind is enlivened everywhere by Morris games and folk dances .

The object of these games is not mere ploy, but to develop tho children physically and mentally by tho help of rhythm. Wo are all born with the sense of rhythm, but in thf past it has been trained out of us. A baby will wave its hands to the sound of music, a little girl loves to skip along ivith a rhythmic action, but commands to "walk quietly" and lessons ou deportment soon rob tho child of its natural ease and grace. Children, you are very little, And your bones are very brittle; • If you would grow great and stately, You must try to walk sedately, .-ang E.L.S., voicing the sentiment of. the age. But in this new method of physical training the child is taught to develop natural movements. Ho is not merely taught "deep breathing," and all tho ordinary physical exercises of yesterday, which were apt to make fov stiffness and artificiality, but by games, dancing, and esthetic movements he develops his love of action in a spontaneous and graceful fashion. By theso means all muscles are brought into play natural Iy, the child learns to express himself by movement, and he acquires mental balance and self-control. And it has its effect upon his manners, too, for (lie courtesy and politeness learned in the country dances unconsciously become part of tho child, and are carried by him into his daily lfe. London schoc-ls have been revolutionised by this new method of teaching, and tho dull playgrounds, which wore once tho scene of rows of children marching monotonously round, ."left, right, left, right," aro now made beautiful by tho sight of children taking part in the picturesquo old country dances of "All in a garden green," "Blue-eyed Stranger," "Rigs o' Marlow," and tho air is gay with (lie sound of children's voices sinking happily tho old songs.