is a law of the
child's growth. But it is not merely a matter of health nor of child life.
It is a matter of social welfare and the development of community spirit.
It affects every individual, old as well as young.

Consequently we find in the past six years, since the organization of the
Playground Association of America at Washington under President
Roosevelt's patronage, great attention has been given to the subject.
Country children, whose repertory of games was found to be very limited,
have been taught to play a great variety of new and interesting games; and
this has given them a new zest in life. Country school athletic contests
have been organized and inter-community meets held, sometimes on the
county basis. Great field days have been held, rural picnics have been
developed which have been marvelously successful in interesting adults as
well as children; out-of-door folk-dancing has been revived; play
festivals have interested whole townships, with hundreds of visitors, many
of whom have tested their strength and skill at the various games and
contests. It has not been a commercialized or professional performance by
paid experts, but a day of play, of, for, and by the people.

The social effect of these play festivals is far reaching. "Acquaintances
formed on these occasions," says Prof. M. T. Scudder, "may be followed up
by profitable correspondence, by exchanging visits, and thus lead to the
establishment of life-long friendships. The names of those who excel in
one sport or another become household words throughout the county. How
this stimulates self-respect and ambition! The real leaders in each
community become known, be they boys or girls, men or women, and these may
be brought together thereafter for organized efforts in worthy enterprises
for the common good. And all the time the isolation of country life is
being lessened."[28]

More and more at these festivals the products of manual training,
industrial and domestic arts are being exhibited. There are competitions
in bread making, sewing, gardening, carving, basketry, corn and vegetable
raising, with every opportunity for varied interest. The dramatic instinct
is developed by the revival of pageantry, in connection usually with the
Fourth of July or other holidays, often with special local historical
significance. "The Pageant of Thetford" is an interesting pamphlet
describing a successful program of this order in Vermont. It may be
obtained of