Show little lights on LIVING by MARIA LEONARD dean of women university of illinois 0 western newspaper union WHAT PLAY CAN DO P play LAY Is one ot of the four builders ot of r life the other three are work love and rell religion glon nations have risen like the greeks and fallen like the romans through their play play has not been given serious enough attention by modern parents as a factor actor in their childrens physical intellectual and moral development play time has been considered a tag end usually run away and play when there Is nothing else to do everything that functions has equal capacities for both good and evil ehll food medicine exercise and even religion with the fanatic can change virtue to vice progress of the race comes from directing all these functions ELOUS properly into positive channels when this does not occur the individual and nation alike may be retarded in its growth for or betterment betterment or still worse may be actually irrevocably harmed parents probably seldom think of 0 plaz pla and its effects on their children in such serious philosophical terms and yet play and recreational hours have the power to make or mar young life play should be part of an educationally planned program tor for children each child should be studied by the parents and helped to succeed in at least one kind of sport or should be furthered in one hobby bobby whether it be making some kind of toy or collecting insects or stones these creative loves in children should be hunted out and fostered by parents this gives to children early in life a sense of 0 achievement w which aich later may grow into a habit of success good sportsmanship not only implies physical skill but also mental and moral skill as it takes courage to be ba a good loser and sometimes more courage to play fair planned play as an educational program g r am will take time effort and sacrifice on the parents part but in the end it brings the largest dividend of character parents are sometimes unwilling w to give as much of their own pleasure t time line to play with their children as such a play program am demands As for 1 instance a movie manager of one of the large theaters in chicago told me recently that in his opinion the movies have become the modern nurse maids for the children of the rich and poor alike cars from cadel lacs ines to tin fizzles Liz Lizz les drive up and disgorge their small occupants each night regardless of the sex picture shown and the parents drive nonchalantly away in two or three hours these carefree parents return to take their children home some parents a few years hence will wonder why their children are different from their net neighbors children GOLD FOR GOD lived one time a very rich THERE aking king his wealth increased so rapidly that lie began to think in terms of gold one oae evening as he sat alone long after his little daughters goodnight kiss he felt a tiny tapping on his foot rubbing his eyes in the subdued light to be convinced he was not dreaming he heard a tiny voice which said thou art great 0 king and rich my wand and I 1 can give thee thy one hearts desire speak now ere I 1 go the fairy said give me gold exalt excitedly edly spoke the i king give me the golden touch tills this will be done at dawn tomorrow thy touch will turn each thing to gold and abo oh midas will become earths richest kill king the fairy circled her tiny wand three times above her head find and disappeared can this be true thought the kill king the sun was high when the king awoke it Is true it Is truel true I 1 be cried crittl joyfully as he touched his kingly robes into beautiful golden fabrics As he sat before his morning men meal his heart grew proud and haughty but alas his food too turned to gold what matters that he said MI 1 I am the richest king on earth today I 1 just then his bis little daughter laughing and singing sprang into his bis arms for her accustomed morning kiss he held her happy little form close to his heart bear but just one moment and there lay in his strong arms his daughter lifeless body turned to gold I 1 oh god he cried in anguish what have I 1 done what have I 1 donel done I 1 it Is not gold I 1 need but god he sobbed falling to bla bis knees help thou me this day the most wretched wre ached man in all my kingdom wide another gentle tapping on his bis sandal brou brought lit again the fairy to his side take my gold away and give me god he cried it shall be done the fairy said gald but tell me first 0 king wherein real riches lie from out the depths of his bis agonized heart the king replied in the heart of man in my fatherhood in my people in my honor and service to god and man my goal has been gold henceforth it Ba sh allbe god has america like king midas been seeking gold instead of god I 1 one statesman recently sala said of her she Is in the twentieth century ly but in the sixteenth spiritually america need seek the abundant life info through no other path for rix his Is the way ivay the truth and the aught |