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nùîffli> Planning RECREATION for Rural Home and Community PAGE in this bulletin'' RECREATION AND PEOPLE. j Types of recreation. THE FAMILY THAT PLAYS TOGETHER STAYS TOGETHER.... 6 Family recreation, indoors and outdoors. PUTTING LIFE INTO MEETINGS AND ORGANIZATIONS........ 12 Tools and techniques for meetings and organization programs. SOCIALS WITH ZEST 17 Ten rules for a thousand occasions. MUSIC IS A MUST. 23 Ways^o hiake music fun. RING UP THE CURTAIN 25 Ideas for dramatics. BUILD YOUR OWN UNIVERSITY WITH A LIBRARY 28 Getting folks to read. LET'S MAKE It HANDICRAFTS UNLIMITED. 30 What you will need for a crafts program. GO FORTH UNDER THE OPEN SKY 33 Camping, picnics, hiking, and nature projects. SPORTS FOR ALL 33 Games and other activities for family and community. CAPÍTALIZE ON CUSTOMS AND COUNTRYSIDE 43 Thé importance of the folk festival in community recreation. THE HEART OF A PROGRAM IS ITS LEADERS 47 Finding local leaders and training them. RECREATION THE COMMUNITY WAY :................. 50 Some standards for planning. SOURCES OF INFORMATION 6Q \u \.. .> ^ Agricultural Information Bulletin No. 20 Washington. D. C. Issued November 1950 For sale by the Supermtendent of Documents, U. S. Government Printing Office, Washington 25, D. C.—^ Price 30 cents PLANNING RECREATION FOR RURAL HOME AND COMMUNITY A Guide for Extension Workers By E. J. Niederfrank, specialist in rural organization and sociology. Extension Service, and Virginia Musselman, program consultant. National Recreation Association RECREATION AND PEOPLE RECREATION can be anything beyond the nor- when you see someone trying to do something that mal line of duty that a person does not have to do you could do better, or faster^ If you do, you may but does just for the fun or enjoyment of it. It is destroy or discourage this urge to accomplish some- not just games or active sports, parties or singing, thing. meetings or socials, or hobby handicrafts. It is not The desire for adventure.—To explore, to try merely play or exercise; nor is it a waste of time. something new, to get away from routine is one of It is something that provides relaxation and diver- our deepest needs, and one often not satisfied. This sion from the requirements of regular work. is why men risk their lives climbing Mount Everest There are many types of recreation, and the or exploring the Antarctic, and why city people amount of relaxation or enjoyment that a person gather round to watch a building under construc- gets from an activity depends a great deal upon tion. This urge for adventure is why detective himself, and upon his experience, attitude, and ap- stories and ghost stories are so popular, and why preciation. Yet we are alike underneath, no matter youngsters often get into mischief. But the adven- what our age, role, religion, or occupation, or where ture does not have to be real in the physical sense. we live. We all want a certain amount of attention Try to open up avenues of adventure in your and affection. We all want to mingle with other work vvith people. Make simple things exeitiïig by people, at least to some extent, and to receive some thinking up new twists. Do not he afraid to express recognition. These are among our basic psychologi- feelings. Share your experiences with the people cal desires. Let us take a look at the main psycho- with whom you work, because you open windows logical desires of people; they are fundamental to when you do, for them and for yourself as well. recreation. The desire to belong, the social urge.—People do not like to live alone. We all want to be needed, "Man Does Nof Live by Bread Alone" to be appreciated, and to be recognized or approved by others. We may be shy or self-conscious, or we The desire to create.—This does not mean that may think we can do all right alone, but the need one wants to write a great poem or paint a master- is there. piece. The baby with his blocks is getting the satis- In planning meetings or programs, make sure no faction of creating. The man working out a better one gets the feeling that he is an outsider. This way to do a job on the farm gets the satisfaction goes for an educational or other meetisig as well as of creating. Perfection is not important, it is the for a recreation meeting. It is easy to concentrate satisfaction of making something that counts. This on the "stars" in folk games or in discussion at satisfaction is ruined sometimes by someone's criti- meetings, and forget the shy person or the awkward cism, or too much help. In working with the people boy or girl who pretends he or she does not want of your community, be careful not to interfere to play. Planning Recreation for Rural Home and Community The need for action,movement.—Home agents that situation only ; otherwise he clutters and can point out to members of home demonstration confuses. clubs that the child needs to move, to develop his Have you ever thought of using dramatics as a muscles, to use his body, to run, jump, climb, skip. way of working out questions or problems in a Thig need does not end with childhood. There is a group? It is impersonal, therefore no one's feel- real satisfaction in bodily movement, and in physi- ings get hurt, but everyone gets the point. Ask cal fatigue after action that was exhilarating or folks to take the part of others and discuss the pleasant. Look at the faces of dancers after a long lesson or subject as those other persons would. This square dance. The dancers are breathless, but they not only is fun, but will result in more effective also are radiant from the fun of active movement learning. to nausic. The desire for personal accomplishment and Farm work may be hard and tiring, but it may development.—Everyone wants to improve. The not give enough of the right kinds of exercise. One desire niay be to improve one's personal appear- can plow, and chop wood, and do all the other ance, or it may be to make the garden or front yard chores, and still want to play a game of Softball, more attractive. It may be frivolous or serious, but or go to a dance or on a coon hunt. No matter how all persons want to grow. As an extension worker, interesting a meeting may be, we all begin to do you recognize this, even when it is not obvious? stretch, or squirm, or move around a little before Do you try to open up new ways to personal it is through. If you are a wise leader, you will growth? And do you show appreciation for the learnmany ways to add some movement or action attempts that come to your attention? Are you to your meeting, nomatter how crowded the group most interested in bringing about growth in the or small the meeting place. people with whom you work, or are you most con- The desire for music—From the time a person cerned with merely telling them about the subject- is bom to the time he dies, he needs music and matter of your program? rhythm. It is almost instinctive to sing or whistle The desire for security.—The rnost important when we are happy. And when we do, we always desire of people at all ages is probably for psycho- keep time, because we respond to rhythm. logical security, as well as economic security. Psy- Music is a universal language. We do not have to chological security is derived from a variety of know German to appreciate Beethoven, or French sources, including some of the desires already men- to like Chopin. We do not have to know anything tioned. Fright or fear, break of a family tie or re- about a person to enjoy singing with him. lationship, unfriendliness or disapproval of asso- In using music in a recreation program, do as ciates, reduction in economic well-being, and re- you would in planning a dinner or cutting out a stricted physical well-being are among the main dress, start with what you have. People like what insecurities that concern people, old and young. they know. Start with that, then help them to learn Insecurities such as these can be produced by fleet- to like what they do not know. The same princi- ing incidents or longer experiences; and they can ple is often useful in teaching subject matter at have a lasting effect. an extension meeting. First get folks to tell what People Are Different they already do, then go on to teach them the new practice. "Nobody ever understands me." You have heard The desire for drama, or acting parts.—Every many people say this, from small children to old day of their lives the people around you take the people. Even though we all have the same basic part of Devoted Husband, Ijoving Wife, Friendly desires, we differ in some respects. Probably the Neighbor, Efficient Worker, and dozens of other most important difference between people that af- roles. À person enjoys a motion picture because fects recreation is their age. The age of the people for several hours he has stopped being himself and you are serving is something you will need to thinks had fun being someone entirely different. The good about, because it has so much to do with the way actor can set up an imaginary play and then play you plan, and what you plan.

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