A SUGGESTED PROFESSIONAL CURRICULUM FOR RECREATION LEADERS AND ADMINISTRATORS A Project Presented to The Faculty of the School of Education The University of Southern California In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Science in Education by Mel J. Peterson July 1950 UMI Number: EP46519 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. UMT Dissertation Publishing UMI EP46519 Published by ProQuest LLC (2014). Copyright in the Dissertation held by the Author. Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106- 1346 P V /£«J '57 ^ ' This project report, written under the direction of the candidate's adviser and approved by him, has been presented to and accepted by the Faculty of the School of Education in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Education. Date ........... Advise_ 'Dean TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. INTRODUCTION......................... . . . . . 1 The probl e m.................. . ............ 2 Statement of the problem................. 2 Importance of the pro bl em ............... 3 Method of procedure....................... ri*— Definitions of terms used . ............... 5 Curriculum..................... 5 Professional . . . ....................... 5 Recreation .............................. 6 Recreation leadership... .................. 6 T r e n d .................................... 7 Limitations of the problem................. 7 Organization of remaining chapters ........ 8 II. REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE..................... 10 Authoritative o p i n i o n ..................... 11 Opinions of writers in the field.......... 11 Summary of national conferences ........... 14 Reports on conferences .................. 14 Other commissions.......................... 18 Findings of agencies ..................... 18 Research studies ......................... 21 III. RELATED BACKGROUND FACTORS................... 24 I' ill CHAPTER PAGE A brief history and progress of recreation . 24 Sand garden e r a ............... 24 Transition period ....................... 25 World War I influence................... 26 Period of ascension..................... 27 Recent trends in recreation ............. . 30 Modern trends ............................ 30 Other recreational trends ............... 35 Government assistance ................... 38 IV.. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF RECREATION AND RECREATIONAL LEADERSHIP ................... 42 The importance of leaders................. 43 Recreation contributes to human happiness . . . . . . ................. 43 Recreation contributes to health ........ 44 Recreation contributes to mental health . 45 Recreation contributes to character building.......... 46 Recreation contributes to the prevention of juvenile delinquency............... 48 Recreation contributes to community solidarity.............................. 50 Recreation contributes to community economy................................ 51 iv CHAPTER PAGE The importance of recreational leadership . 52 Nature of recreation leadership . . . . . 52 Leadership helps build character ........ 53 Leadership helps develop skills ........ 5^ Leadership makes variety possible . . . . 55 Leadership teaches carry-over activities . 56 V. DUTIES AND QUALIFICATIONS OF RECREATION LE A D ERS ................................. 60 Leadership functions ....................... 60 Developing and planning of policies and functions ....................... 60 Relationships and cooperation ........... 6l Recording and reporting ................. 62 Research............................... 63 Counseling and guidance ................. 63 Health and s a f e t y .................. 64 Athletics and sports . . . ............. 65 Arts and c r a f t s ...................... 66 Drama and m u s i c ...................... 67 A Nature and outing activities ............. 67 V. A SURVEY OF EIGHTEEN COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES 69 Training provided by colleges and universities .............................. 69 Training institutions ................... 69 V CHAPTER PAGE Required courses .......................... 71 Electives................................ 73 Pre-requisites to entering training schools................... 73 VII. A SURVEY OF TEN RECREATION CURRICULA........ 101 Evaluation of the survey................... 101 Study of Table I V ....................... 101 Average of required units ............... 104 VIII. COURSES FOR THE TRAINING OF RECREATIONAL LEADERS AND ADMINISTRATORS................. 105 Proposed curriculum ....................... 105 Courses to be t a k e n ..................... 105 Validation of courses ..................... 106 Rural and social institutions........... 106 Community recreational resources ........ Ill Group work: principles and methods of work with children..................... Ill Group work: principles and methods of work with adolescents................. 112 Group work: principles and methods of with adults and older age groups . . . . 112 Racial groups and nationalities ........ 113 Recreational dramatics ................... 113 'Basic arts and c r a f t s ................... 114 vi CHAPTER PAGE Art appreciation.......................... 114 Recreational music ....................... 115 D a n c i n g .................................. 115 Physical activities and recreational skills.................................. 116 Corrective games and socialized recreational activities for the atypical individual ................... 117 Recreational therapy ............. . . . . 117 Administration and organization: public recreation.............................. 118 Administration and organization: special agencies................................ 118 Nature and function of p l a y ............. 118 Recreation as an approach to social living ......................... 119 Field work in public recreation agencies . 119 Field work in special agencies........... 119 IX. SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS................... 120 Summ ary .................................... 120 Review of literature ..................... 120 H i s to ry........ '........................ 121 Trends.................................... 121 Recreation and recreational leadership . . 123 * vii CHAPTER PAGE Duties and qualifications ................. 12A Survey of the curricula of eighteen colleges and universities ............... 125 Survey of the curricula of ten colleges and universities......................... 127 Proposed curriculum ....................... 127 Recommendations.......................... 129 BIBLIOGRAPHY . . . . . ................................ 131 APPENDIX............................................... 138 LIST OF TABLES TABLE PAGE I. Institutions Providing Training.. .............. TO II. Required Courses Tabulated...................... 75 III. Electives Courses Tabulated..................... 95 IV. The Number of Units Required in Ten General Fields by Institutions Offering a Major in Recreation.................................. 102 V. Proposed Curriculum Major in Recreation . . . . 107