Physical Activities - Handicrafts - Social Recreation
Dramatics - Community Organization - Supervised Play
Music - Special Events
"Recreation IsThat Program Devised Through Activities to.
Teach Skills and Hab i ts of Enjoyment Turing Leisure Time."
DOCUMENT#
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WORKS PROGRESS ADMINISTRATION IN OHIO
CARL WATSON, ADMINISTRATOR
RECREATION IN OHIO
A Brief Report Prepared by the Federal Writers' Project
O.S.U. SPONSORS RECREATION
Recognizing the fundamental value and possibilities
of the WPA Recreation Program, Ohio State University,
through President George W. Rightmire, has undertaken
the role of official sponsor for this project on a state¬
wide basis. Under this plan, the Ohio State Planning
Board will act as Co-sponsor. Community groups will con¬
tinue to direct and support local recreation activities.
PROJECT OPERATING IN 75 COUNTIES
Leisure time activities are now being conducted under
supervision in cities, towns, and rural areas in 75 of
Ohio is 88 counties. More than 2,400 leaders and super¬
visors are employed on Recreation units established in
response to the request of communities. In these com¬
munities more than 735 lay committees, with 15,000 mem¬
bers, are actively supporting the program. Local con¬
tributions for supervision, equipment, material and sup¬
plies exceeded $275,000 last year.
SOUND CONCEPTS GOVERN PROGRAM
The Recreation Program was created to meet increas¬
ing needs for organized leisure time activities. Planning
and execution are based on sound present-day recreational
practices. Only those best fitted for recreational work
were chosen from relief employables to form the program's
personnel. The fact that the statewide program emphasizes
the need for permanent community recreation departments
and the fact that the program has attained wide public
support, are further evidences of its fundamental worth.
Every statewide organization interested in recreation
has recognized and approved the Recreation Program.
NEW PERMANENT PROGRAMS ORGANIZED
The Recreation Program is playing a major role in the
founding and development of new recreation departments
now being organized in 20 Ohio cities. In a majority of
instances, these departments are tax-supported. Local
interest in recreation, stimulated by the WPA progr.am,
has resulted in many communities assuming increasing
shares in the cost of key leadership and other costs.
The Recreation Program has offered assistance to every
existing recreation department through leadership.
COLLEGES TRAIN LEADERS
Thirty-four Ohio colleges and universities have helped
to train more than 3,000 recreation leaders by means of
40 major training institutes held in 12 sections of the
State. In-service training is conducted weekly in 70
county staff institutes, where demonstrations and in¬
struct ion in modern recreational theory and practice are
given. Many public agencies are availing themselves of
this opportunity to train their personnel.
PROGRAM FEATURES VARIETY
Activities conducted by the Recreation Program cover
all phases of recreation. Twenty crafts, 40 types of
physical activity, dramatics, music, social recreation,
and special events are included in the programs, which
are designed to meet each community's interests. Trained
specialists conduct handicraft, music, and drama groups.
RESEARCH OPENS NEW FIELDS
Recreational research is advancing through experiments
in pre-school play, home recreation, and after-school
directed play. Specialized recreational needs are being
observed in studies of the blind and physically handi¬
capped. Juvenile delinquency is approached on a basis of
prevention, through a sound, well-rounded program. A
study is being made of the present and potential place¬
ment of personnel in recreation in order to assist com¬
munities and schools in their planning for leisure needs.
FIRST STATEWIDE DEPARTMENT
The Ohio WPA Recreation Department is the first in the
St ate to devote full time to statewide organization and
planning of recreation. The program is designed to ana¬
lyze the recreational needs of Ohio communities and to
assist in the provision of suitable recreational oppor¬
tunities for these communities. The success achieved has
been due directly to the active interest of Dr. Carl
Watson, State WPA Administrator; his direct ion, through
Noel H. Petree, St at e Supervisor of Recreat ion, has been
responsible for the program's growth and unification.
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