THE RECREATION SERVICE DIVISION 741 



The recreation executive must be well versed in all technical phases 

 of recreation with a personality which will win the loyalty of the staff. 

 He must have skill in dealing with individuals and community groups and 

 the statesmanship which will enable him to organize and keep in operation 

 a constantly growing program. The duties of an executive in the organiza- 

 tion and administration of park recreation include the selection, training 

 and direction of workers; the purchasing and installing of apparatus and 

 layout of playgrounds and athletic fields; the planning of buildings for 

 recreation purposes; the celebration of holidays; the development of ath- 

 letic sports, games, music, drama and all the varied activities entering into 

 the program. The recreation executive also has the task of interpreting to 

 the public through addresses, conferences and play demonstrations the work 

 which is being done. 



The staff of the superintendent sometimes includes in some of the larger 

 cities an assistant. There are in addition playground directors in charge 

 of individual playgrounds, directors of recreation centers, where such facil- 

 ities are a part of the system, play leaders and assistants on individual 

 grounds, and in some cities supervisors of such activities such as athletics, 

 music, drama, handcraft, folk dancing, story-telling, boys' work, girls' work 

 and similar activities. 



Other workers on the staff who are in some instances responsible to the 

 superintendent of recreation, in others directly to the park superintendent, 

 are swimming instructors, guards and others associated with swimming 

 pools, golf professionals and attendants, and workers involved in the 

 administration of other recreation facilities. 



Civil Service. 



In many states existing laws require that recreation workers shall be 

 employed and hold their positions under civil service. While this plan has 

 many advantages, it has its difficulties as well, and it should be possible 

 to safeguard and strengthen it by closer cooperation to civil service authori- 

 ties and recreation officials. It has been urged that a higher type of leader- 

 ship might be brought about through the abolition of local resident require- 

 ments, giving the opportunity to secure workers from outside the city; 

 through the placing of greater emphasis upon personality, character and 

 educational requirements; through insistence on a probationary period of 

 from three to six months, and the automatic cancelling of the waiting 

 eligibility list for the new year; through adequate salary standards and 

 through impartial selection of members making up the civil service com- 

 mission. 



