Re-creation
Media
Part of The Philippine Educator
- Title
- Re-creation
- Language
- English
- Year
- 1947
- Rights
-
- Fulltext
- RE-CREATION EMILIO EDUALINO Curriculum Division .. One of the fundamental objectives of education set forth ·by the N. E. A . and adopted in our schools, is avocationa! efficiency, or the worthy use of leisure. In com;onance with this objective, our courses of study, textbooks, and other teaching aids and materials, have provided means, by which varied sorts or activities which may be engaged in at leisure time, are taught H.•.• rectly o:· indirectly to the pupils. The.:;e .;; are further supplemented by the intro,. -duction of more vocational subjects in both the elementary and high school ~ curricu:um. We are a member of the social group in which we I:ve, and as such, we should contribute to the weifare of our community, so that every one, including ou:r ., own selves, will be happy. Even 0'1r leisure time activities should contribute .. to the welfare of society. We therefore need to interpret these leisure time . activities in terms of social welfare. Let :" us see what _qualities these activities should have in order to be "worthy." Leisure time must be spent in real play activities, or recreation, where everyone is "re-created" or created _ afresh. The activity must refresh strt:ngth and spirits after toil. The ;-ecreation must be a pleasurable activity. Every one shoui'd be able to derive pleasur~e from the activity. Many kinds of enterta~~ent do not reach up to thi.:; standard o1 true recreation, especially those whereil~ the individual does not participate. This means that, to be able to derive pleasure, one mu!it take part in the activity itself. This may raise a question regarding the following activities: listening to radio pr"~· grams, mU'i;ical programs, etc. These activities may become · pleasurable ones for one who has helped put up the radio programs, or for one who has helped arrange or initiate a musical pL·ogram . for the community. The recreation must be a stimulating activity. A good exampie of a stimulating activity is gardening. This activity stimulates one physically, it creates beauty, it renders a great servicE; to all. Then, the activity must be wholesome. This means Lhat it does not harm any one: nature, the lower forms of animals, the individual, and the community. Collecting would not be wholesome if in its pursuit, one deprives other<~ of the beauty of nature, or of their belongings. Singing would not be wholesome if it is done at unholy hours. Horse riding woui'd be very wholesome provided it stimulates the rider physically, it refreshes him, the rider does not harm the horse, and the community does not cultivate unwholesome habits. We can therefore analyze our recreational activities in tE;rms of these criteria: 1. Is it a refreshing activity? 2. Is it a pleasurable activity? 3. Is it a stimulating activity? 4. Is it a wholesome acth·ity? Aside from the above, we need to draw a line between recreation and work, because there are many times when an activity which starts as ra. creation ends as work. In recreation, one engages in an activity without any thought of physical exertion, or any remuneration afterwards. When one is in a game just for fun or for love of it, the activity is recreation; whe_reas, when he aims at winning a prize, then FOR MODERN OPTICAL NEEDS-SEE KEEPSAKE OPTICAL-80 Escolta 26