| Show play and the health of the nation six million three hundred and eight thousand record cards for the weighing and measuring test of the health of children under six have now been furnished by the children s bureau ot the U S department of labor to the local committees of the child welfare department of the comans womans committee in all parts of the united states the interest aroused by the test has rebutted in extending and promoting permanent pei manent work tor children in many communities and the chairmen are responding to the demand created by the test for more simple practical help in the care of children by the establishment of public health nursing services and child consultation centers through which mothers can secure expert personal advice and authoritative printed information for the older children entered in the test and tor their big brothers and sisters the child welfare departments of the woman s committee in collaboration with the children s bureau of the V S department of labor are now endeavoring to pro vide wholesome recreation to increase the health and strength of the children the plans for the recreation drive and for the patriotic play week in which it will culminate will give older boys and girls a chance to test their physical vigor certain standard tests have been devised a standing broad jump ot uve feet nine inches a run of sixty yards in eight and three soc ands and the ability to chin himself bour times entitle a boy to the first certificate of physical fitness sec ond and third certificates tor increasingly crea singly difficult tests can be won ater A girl can win her certificate by demonstrating her ability to throw a basket ball into its doai twice out of six trials at a distance of fifteen feet by walking 24 feet balancing herself on the narrow dge of a fixed scantling two inches wide and four inches thick while carrying larr ying a book on her head aud running a potato race in 42 seconds for girls also the tests are progressive and a year later the girl who qualifies tor the first certificate may compete for a second one the tests have been proposed by the playground and recreation asso of america for the patriotic alay week aro urging children to play the games that develop certain muscular agility in order to help the quality in the awta the plans tor the patriotic play week include exhibits of many other things which occupy the interests of children during the summer the health and vigor acquired in out of door exercises and games will it is expected increase the energy and enthusiasm tor the canning stock and poultry raising and war garden work of the U S department of agriculture ri boys and girls club and the U S bureau of education war gardens drills of the athletic organizations already established among boys and girls folk dances of different sings and pageants all are planned as part of the community demonstration of what it Is doing to make the leisure time of its children worth while plans for the play week and decre atlon drive in are well under way and information about them can be secured from miss florence foremaster st george |
