a part of long-range recreation that should be developed in our youth.

THE CAMP PROGRAM

Boston University Sargent Camp runs a winter vacation camp in February for elementary and junior high children, in which this need can be partly satisfied.

Students in physical education who are practice-teaching attend this camp as counselors and instructors.

This gives them a real laboratory experience in working in outdoor education with children, and fits in wel with their regular practice-teaching program in physical education. Over 100 children take part in the camp week and are recruited from sur rounding New England areas. They arrive Monday morning and leave Friday afternoon.

The program emphasizes many of the usual activities of camping in a winter atmosphere. Each day children can choose from a variety of activities, the basic ones being the winter sports-skiing and skating A floodlighted ski tow and skating rink become important centers of activity. Along with these are such activities as hikes and winter exploration trips.

WINTER EXPLORATION

A series of hikes to interesting points are organized. Although a lot of fun is had, educational objectives are also accomplished in the discussions about the woods in winter. Am example is a hike which terminates at a beaver dam and lodge, and this one is often tied in with the children's interest in the Walt Disney movie, "Beaver Valley." Some of the oldest oaks in the region are also visited, and the children discuss things

that have gone on in the area since hose oaks started to grow.

A hike over ledges in the winter is another interesting and adventurous trip that children sometimes take. They have fun sliding down the rocks and testing their abilities in climbing and practicing safety on the trail in the winter. Bird-feeding stations are also visited.

Animal-tracking trips become quite exciting, as these give children a hance to study the habits of the mammals and see the diary of their nightly activities in the freshly fallen now. An interesting area of exploration is the lake shore, where the activities of beavers, muskrats, and small mammals may be tracked and studied.

OTHER ACTIVITIES

For those who choose, the use of ambering tools in pruning the camp forests is a challenging activity, as well as using the large camp telescope

observe sun spots and, at night, to Survey the winter skies. The crisp, dear atmosphere of a cold winter might makes star study a new advenare, even for those who have used the telescope in the summer.

An informal craft program is carried out during the week. The main dining room becomes a center of activity for native crafts, sketching, whittling, animal-carving, and the making of colorful bouquets from the various seed pods that are available

the winter. This program is one hich is also used by the whole roup if the weather is not good. It also a good activity during the week for children who need a rest from the more strenuous winter sports. As the week goes by, crafts provide a pleasing interlude between the hikes and sports.

Other indoor parts of the program which may be carried on if we have particularly cold or rainy days inlude the typical social games and activities used in recreational centers. Evening activities vary from square dances to song fests, marshmallow easts, paper bag dramatics, and storytelling.

BENEFITS OF WINTER CAMP

There is always some reluctance on the part of parents who wonder about

the health of children spending a week in this kind of winter camp. Our experience to date seems to indicate that health is not a problem and, in fact, that a school vacation spent in this way may contribute to better health.

Judging from the return campers which we have each winter, this kind of program certainly meets the needs of children and supplies them with a type of adventure and freedom in the outdoors that more of our young people should be able to have during their formative years when they are developing interests in outdoor activities.

It seems to me that there is a rich field as yet untapped in areas close to winter sports facilities. Many camps, with a little additional expenditure of money to insure warm sleeping and eating quarters, could be utilized for winter camping to the benefit of both camp owners and recreation interests in the larger populated areas.

PROGRAM WORTH CONSIDERING

From the standpoint of the university and the college, this is a program well worth considering, because, (1) it performs a much needed community service; (2) it gives a number of students, who otherwise would have no such contacts, a chance to participate in winter sports for a reasonable amount of money and to gain skills in teaching these sports to children; and (3) it emphasizes and shows the practicability of win

ter camping as an area as yet largely unexplored but a natural one, considering the present trend toward winter sports.

Physical educators are being called upon more and more to lead and initiate programs of this type in the northern areas of our country. The winter camp program also makes a more productive camp facility. It fits into the winter weekend and school camping programs and allows, on the basis of use, a more complete facility which benefits all the programs of the camp, summer and winter. ★

If you are working with secondary school students, you will want these joint publications of

THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR HEALTH, PHYSICAL EDUCATION,
AND RECREATION
and

THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SECONDARY SCHOOL PRINCIPALS Fitness for Secondary School Youth. The most recent authoritative publication on this timely topic. 128 pp. 1956. $2.50.

Framework for Family Life Education. Presents the scope and design of family life education as it is being carried out in the United States today and offers suggestions to implement new and established programs. 1956. $2.00.

Administrative Problems in Health, Physical Education, and Recreation. Prepared by a joint committee of AAHPER and NASSP, the book is a practical approach to administrative problems in secondary schools. 136 pp. 1953. Paper, $2.00; Cloth, $2.50. Order from:

AAHPER Publications-Sales 1201-16th Street, N.W.

Washington 6, D. C.