Children Play Basketball, Riverside Park, Albany, 1912
Suggested Teaching Instructions
One of the most influential promoters of recreation in the late 1800s and early 1900s was Luther H. Gulick. Gulick was the first director of physical education in the New York City public schools, and he was instrumental in founding several organizations that promoted healthy living, physical education, and recreation, such as the American School Hygiene Association, the Public School Physical Education Society, the Playground and Recreation Society of America, and the Boy Scouts. In 1911, he and his wife founded the Campfire Girls, because they thought girls should be involved in recreational activities, too.
In 1891, while working as director of the gymnasium department at Springfield College in Massachusetts, Gulick gave a student, James Naismith, an assignment to invent a game. The game Naismith invented for Gulick was basketball. Basketball became very popular in urban areas. Other sports that also became popular at this time were baseball, handball, volleyball, track, and swimming.
How are playgrounds funded?
Research the number of elementary schools that do not offer recess to their students.