Cover Page

Contents

Preface
Letter

SECTION I

Orientation
Summary

SECTION II

History
Needs
Geography
Historic Sites
Competitors
Economic Aspects

SECTION III

Federal Lands
State and Interstate
Local

SECTION IV

Division of Responsibility
Local
State
Federal
Circulation

SECTION V

Educational Opportunities

Occupational Trends

Occupational shifts.—Recreational needs and requirements during the past 60 years (1870—1930) have been profoundly affected by occupational changes. There has been a tremendous shift of the population from agricultural and allied occupations to industrial, commercial, clerical, and professional occupations. In 1870 more than half (52.8 percent) of the gainfully employed persons, exclusive of children, were found in agriculture, lumbering, and fishing, but in 1930 only 21.3 per cent of all gainfully employed persons 12 years of age and over were so employed. On the other hand those engaged in manufacturing and mechanical industries rose from 22 percent in 1870 to 28.6 percent in 1930. Trade and transportation employment rose from 9.1 percent in 1870 to 20.7 percent in 1930. Clerical employment rose from 1.7 percent in 1870 to 8.2 percent in 1930.

These occupational changes are coincident with the rise of industrialism and the growth of cities.

The recreational significance of this change lies in the fact that many millions of people were drawn from an environment in the open country which was more or less in harmony with the biological and physiological needs of man to an unnatural, artificial environment. This entailed crowded living on limited areas of land on which the natural conditions had been destroyed, and necessitated working indoors in factories, shops, stores, offices, etc., without adequate opportunities for contact with the soil and growing things, or for outdoor activities in the open air and sunlight. This condition gave rise to the idea of public responsibility for trying to bring about an adjustment between nature and man, out of which came the modern provisions in cities and their environs for playgrounds, playfields, small and large parks, and other types of recreational areas.

Increase of leisure time.—Another significant change is the decline in the employment of children in gainful occupations, especially in very recent years. In 1890, 18 percent of all children from 10 to 15 years, inclusive, were gainfully employed; in 1930 only 4.7 percent of this same class were gainfully employed.

While some of the free time of the children and young people is taken up by the increased attendance at schools and colleges, and children on the farms still have traditional chores and some real work to do, children and young people in the cities have an unprecedented amount of free time on their hands. As their attendance at school usually occupies about 6 hours a day for only 5 days a week, and as their yearly attendance is approximately only 180 days, most of them find a great deal of leisure time at their disposal. It be hooves the public to provide for them attractive and adequate recreational facilities so that this time may be utilized wisely and beneficially, rather than be left to them to make, in many cases, foolish or harmful disposition of it.

It seems certain that continued development of labor saving devices and scientific management will further reduce the opportunities for steady employment for very large numbers of people in the United States, unless the hours of labor are still further shortened; new products desired by the people may give rise to new industries, and foreign commerce may again be brought to a flourishing condition. There has been a steady decline since 1910 in the percentage of males in all age groups gainfully employed, the greatest decline being in the age group from 10 to 15 years, inclusive, and the next greatest in the age group 65 years and over. On the other hand, among the women 16 to 45 years, the 1930 census showed an increase in the percentage gainfully employed. Among the females there was a sharp decline in the percentage of children from 10 to 15 years gainfully employed, and a slight decrease in the percentage of employment of women over 65 years.

The cutting off of opportunities to be gainfully employed will likely affect more and more the children, young people, and older people of both sexes, and there will be a possible decline in the numbers of women gainfully employed at the height of their productive capacity. In between these two extreme age groups there will be a group of gainfully employed persons working shorter hours than formerly. This creates an unprecedented situation with respect to the amount of leisure in possession of the people, demanding broad-gage and farsighted planning for its use, especially on the part of public authorities. In addition to planning for the use of leisure recreationally, it would appear highly desirable to devise ways and means of using as much as possible of this "enforced" leisure in various forms of public service, as is being done now through the Civilian Conservation Corps and in developing home handicraft arts.

Last Modified: Fri, Sep. 5, 2003 10:32:22 am PDT
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