Endowments; Recreation--Societies, etc.; Parks--Societies, etc.; New York (N.Y.); Playground Association of America; Braucher, Howard S. 1881-1949; Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919
Format
correspondence
Genre
Business correspondence
Date
[April 28, 1913]
Physical Description
microfilm, 16 mm, b&w
Note (Reel no.)
Reel 80, 84
Note
PDF may contain multiple grant documents.
H. S. Baucher; honorary president - Theodore Roosevelt
Howard S. Braucher provided a clear vision of the role and importance of recreation for all people, guided the emerging American recreation movement, and anchored the National Recreation Association as a supportive organization of play and recreation. He believed that, 'Play is the great creator of personality, after worship the surest means of growth,' and that 'Society has ever been in great peril when it has failed to provide recreation and adventure as well as food... The indomitable spirit of man is his own undoing if he has no outlet for adventure, for living, for recreation.'... While in Maine, Howard volunteered for three years at evening recreation centers and studied the recreation movement in the cities of Maine. In a speech in 1909, he declared, 'Except a people gain and retain the play spirit which is natural to little children, they do not enter into the possibilities of social progress.' That same year the Playground Association of America (PAA) was looking for a full-time secretary and they offered the job to Howard. He accepted with the condition that the Association's mission would be to become 'the spearhead of a nation-wide movement to bring broad recreation opportunities to all the people, regardless of age, sex, race, or religious faith.' He remained with PAA for the next 40 years and was credited with saving the American recreation movement by a colleague: 'When you entered the field we were pulling in every direction – just floundering. Your clear thinking and your understanding of men and affairs soon righted the ship and, as helmsman, you have kept it on a steady keel ever since.'" [SOURCE: "HOWARD S BRAUCHER." Play and Playground Encyclopedia, https://www.pgpedia.com/b/howard-s-braucher. Accessed 11 Oct. 2018.] "Ed. Note: Over the years, reflecting the organization’s changing mission, the Playground Association of America changed its name to the Playground and Recreation Association of America (1911-1930) and the National Recreation Association (1930-1965). On August 14, 1965, the National Recreation and Parks Association was created when five organizations merged to form a single entity. The five merging organizations were all involved in the support of park and recreation service providers in the public sector and included the National Recreation Association (NRA), American Institute of Park Executives (AIPE), American Recreation Society (ARS) the National Conference on State Parks (NCSP), and the American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums (an affiliate of AIPE). EARLY DAYS On April 12, 1906 the first organization meeting of the Playground Association of America was held in the Y. M. C. A. at Washington, D C. Dr. Luther Halsey Gulick of New York City was elected President of the organization, Dr. Henry S. Curtis was elected Secretary and Seth T. Stewart, Chairman of the Executive Committee. Some time prior to the Chicago Play Congress held in June, 1907, President Roosevelt had agreed to serve as Honorary President and Jacob Riis had agreed to serve as Honorary Vice-President. The fact that Jacob Riis and President Roosevelt were willing to lend their influence, helped greatly throughout the country. One of the organization meetings on April 12, 1906 was held at the White House. President Roosevelt spoke on play leadership urging that there be no undue limitation of the freedom of children. Dr. Luther Halsey Gulick also spoke at this meeting." [SOURCE: Virginia Commonwealth University Libraries. "Playground Association of America: Early Days." VCU Libraries Social Welfare History Project, 21 Aug. 2012, https://socialwelfare.library.vcu.edu/organizations/playground-association-of-america-earlly-days. Accessed 11 Oct. 2018.]