Kitecraft : $b and kite tournaments — John Stuart Mill — John Shaqi
Kitecraft : $b and kite tournaments
John Stuart Mill · en
TOURNAMENTS.
All of the work of construction and flying of kites is interesting and
profitable for development yet there is opportunity for furthering this
interest by bringing about yearly tournaments for the exhibition of
the many efforts in construction and design that are undertaken. The
tournaments have a further usefulness in the bringing of our schools
together in a great outdoor social event. The spirit of such an event
is excellent and the day is a joyful one to the children and parents.
Thousands attend these yearly gatherings.
=The Director.= It is necessary for a good tournament that some
interested and competent person take general charge of the whole
affair and not leave the planning and arranging to others. Helpers are
necessary at the tournament, but preparation should be directed by some
one person. In so doing, we do not overlook the helpful cooperation of
the principals at the various schools, but seek to interest them as to
possibilities of undertakings by their children. Instructions should
be sent out from time to time as to new things to be constructed and
three or four weeks before the tournament, quite complete instructions
regarding the different events that may be entered, and rules
pertaining to each should be posted in each school.
It is well to organize a little in the schools that are interested.
Some boy may be recognized as a leader and a good kite maker. He can
round up the team, get the boys interested and encourage them to
enter events not yet taken so as to cover as many events as possible
and fewer in the same. The preparation for the tournament gives a
great opportunity to the teachers and principals to get in touch with
boys. Many boys have come to know their teachers with just such an
introduction, and it has been the means of starting a good many boys to
work in the schoolrooms on their studies. Some boys seem to get out of
gear with their schoolroom environment and need a little touch of play,
a tramp, or some form of sport to get them back to their real school
life. This kind of undertaking is one of the great opportunities for
the teacher to get near to the boys. Some teachers are enthusiastic
enough to send out for a good sized bundle of sticks and have some one
retail them out to the boys at cost. The boys appreciate a little
effort of this kind even if there is no prospect of a tournament. A
discussion of design in the drawing work will also be a practical
departure from the regular work, and will again arouse the lazy boy to
do his best. Now if the teacher will take some interest in the making,
even if she doesn’t know very much about it, and especially in the
flying of the kites, she will be progressing, and there are but few
teachers who cannot learn a good deal about kite making and flying, if
they are willing to try.