to elect them, before leaving the class room for the
playground.

[Sidenote: Choice of games]

The choice of games to be played should be left to a vote or
suggestion of the players. The teacher's function in this regard is to
suggest, not to dictate. In schools this choice may generally best be
made in the class room, before a class goes to the playground.

A teacher should be ready with suggestions for new games or occupation
of some sort when interest wanes in a game that is being played; but a
new game should not be suggested until there is evidence that players
are tired of the old one. Do not make the mistake of thinking that
children want to play games incessantly during a half-day session of a
playground. Children like quiet pursuits occasionally as well as do
adults, and it is well to alternate games with such quiet periods and
also with marching, gymnastics, folk dancing, or periods of free
activity. So-called quiet games will be found useful under such
circumstances.

[Sidenote: Discipline]

Each playground leader or teacher should be provided with a whistle.
This saves a great deal of strain on the voice, and should be
understood from the outset to command instant quiet, all play to be
suspended when it is heard. The most joyous play goes always with the
best discipline. Both children and adult players like strength and
decision in a teacher or leader. Indeed, they instinctively place
themselves under the leadership of the decided and dominant characters
among themselves. It has been the experience of the author that
discipline in schools is greatly helped by the playing of games,
partly because the privilege of play or its loss is one of the
strongest incentives to order at other times, but also because of the
happy outlet afforded for normal tendencies and the disciplinary
training of the games themselves.

[Sidenote: Playing values]

Get the playing values out of games. By this is meant, see that every
child gets as much opportunity as possible for participation in the
actual physical exercise of the game and in all the phases of play
that make him a successful, alert, resourceful player. The result of
this and the test of it will be the amount of interest and sport in
the games. _Do not make the games too serious. Get laughter and frolic
out of them._

Encourage timid pupils to give dares and to take risks. No class of
players needs more sympathetic or tactful understanding and help from
a t