A suggested professional curriculum for recreation leaders and administrators

150 Pages·06.942 MB·English

by  Peterson, Mel J

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
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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