The gambling game, which involves the staking of money, affords another sort of men tal excitement of the sort that mature minds consider harmful, but which seems to have a part in the mental development of the average individual. Intellectual games of pure ability, experience and science are typified by checkers and chess. Checkers being easy to learn is widely played by those who enjoy this mimic warfare of the calculating powers of mind against mind. Chess is far more complicated, and serves to amuse many of the highest intel ligences. It is a common pastime with educated men of a mathematical turn. Every good chess player can discuss enthusiastically the training of the mind involved in playing this game of games.
The training of the hand and eye, as well as judgment and skill, are evidenced in pool and billiards, which have their devotees of all ages and both sexes, though mainly playedby men, apparently because the equipment is not often conveniently within the reach of the woman or child. Pool compares with checkers, as the easy game to learn, played by the crowd, while the expert prefers billiards, and has much the same condescending air toward pool that the expert chessplayer exhibits toward the simpler game of checkers.
It thus appears that games, like the activities of life, show an evolutionary progress. First the rattle, then the doll, then the kindergarten play, then athletic sport and team play, then the test of hand and eye as in billiards, then the evolution through games of chance to games of intelligent skill—all pastimes imitat ing the more real and serious affairs of life. There is a game for every age and every taste; there is development of body and of mind; there is distinguishable an element of social progress, in recognition of the rights of others and of superior ability. The power of co operation is recognized; resourcefulness is de veloped; the need of caution and value of courage are made apparent, and often the error of selfishness is thoroughly taught. The games common to an earlier age call for individual play, or the competitive element, or the homo geneous social characteristics of the folk games. The training of the will is another strong educational feature of games. The timid, hesitating child, who at first shrinks from exposed positions or an aggressive part, gains courage and self-reliance; defeat be comes, instead of a discouragement to all effort, a spur to greater; and the inhibitive control required to obey rules and regulations, es pecially under strong excitement, touches an other of the well springs of character. So, from the first, clumsy, timid efforts of the little child, to the skilful team work of the college athlete, at once aggressive and self-controlled, games afford a means of development and training for body, mind and character. Were
any of these results objects of conscious en deavor on the part of the players, the recreative element of games would be lost. But their uniaue power lies in the fact of this recreation this objective interest which holds the at tention involuntarily and renders the training incidental, unconscious and natural. Because of this psychological distinction, the expression which is frequently heard, is a contradiction in terms and a misnomer. A mistake also is an occasional tendency to dis card gymnastic exercise in favor of games, and vice-versa. While each is an important part of physical training, psychologically and physi cally there are essential differences between the two forms of exercise. Gymnastics are taken for the purpose of bodily development, and the mind is continually in the unnatural attitude of consciously directing the automatic processes of muscular co-ordination; games are played for the frolic or the victory, without subjective or utilitarian end. This psychological differ ence is exactly that between work and play. Physically, gymnastic exercise may be more closely adapted to individual powers and needs than the exercise of games; it can afford more vigorous exercise in a brief time to large num bers in limited space; and it is corrective of posture — of faulty neuro-muscular habits. Games, on the other hand, offer a more natural form of exercise, have a larger emotional con tent and in their social and psychological train ing are not approached by gymnastics.
The recreative element in games, the sheer fun and frolic spirit, and the engrossing inter est that springs from primitive instincts, can not be too highly valued as a relief from the pressure which modern civilization brings to bear upon both children and adults. Especially under city conditions should this be fostered. The paucity of childish play and normal youth ful sport in cities, owing to lack of space, is not only pitiable, but tragic in view of all that it may mean for the healthful, balanced de velopment and life of the individual. The growth of indoor games as basket ball and indoor baseball is admirable because making a virtue of necessity; but the movement to pro vide playgrounds is still better, for gangs of youthful criminals and depredators are found to melt away before them, and the play and games which they foster belong by inherent right to the open sky and the free air. See