472 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY 



THE PLAY ATTITUDE AND THE SCHOOL FRATEENITY 



Br Da. E. L. TALBERT 



THE UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI 



IN" primitive society men hunted and fought in bands ; they planned 

 their expeditions in councils; they celebrated their victories and 

 lamented their defeats in dance, chant and ritual. Boys early left the 

 tutelage of their mothers, and the males — old and young — betook them- 

 selves to their "men's houses/' lodges or secret societies, from which 

 the women of the tribe were excluded. In some instances women formed 

 like associations, expressing in this way the difference between feminine 

 interests and the more active, predatory tendencies of men.^ 



Whatever the racial origins, the fact is plain that in children to-day 

 there crop out instinctive proclivities to fight, to hunt, to court danger : 

 they form gangs and secret societies in which they play the roles of 

 primitive man and imitate the occupations of their elders. After the 

 earlier period of romping and playing individualistic games, they find 

 greater delight in group games. At a certain age boys refuse to play 

 girls' games, and separately engage in more violent, complex activities 

 demanding general rules for their successful pursuit. Later, as the 

 characteristics due to sexual ripening grow pronounced, the desire to 

 please the opposite sex enters as a motive. Intricate sports are played 

 with greater efficiency, facility in subordinating individual glory for 

 the sake of the prestige of the team increases. When the physical and 

 mental unrest attending dawning manhood and womanhood arises, 

 vague, deep emotions and ideals are felt, and the occupations which in 

 childhood were " played at " are now considered in the light of possible 

 careers. Gradually the sense of having a mission in the world unfolds, 

 forming one of the bases of religious awakening and interest in history 

 and politics. 



A satisfactory account of the phenomena pertaining to the social 

 grouping of childhood and youth should include the following items. 

 (1) It should stress the place of impulses and feelings which are 

 ancestral, conflicting and urgent ; recognizing that these impulses ripen 

 at different periods, are roughly uniform, in spite of varying strengths 

 in particular individuals, and that they embody combative and coopera- 

 tive dispositions, both of which are essential to effective grappling 

 with practical problems. (2) The fundamental requirement of growing 

 organisms is overt activity and experimentation arising from imma- 



1 Webster, ' ' Primitive Secret Societies, ' ' Ch. II. 



