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Vievu P�in# : Le�sure �r��s o� �e Thi�
<br />�he Holistic Approach: The Recre�tion Move
<br />.;an Leisure Services Become A Human Service Pe�
<br />All Things to All People
<br />ev
<br />Nlehsrd Rodds, SuqNntsndenrol Recreerion,Teanack,NewJersey
<br />For ths rNatWa coneervative in a fast
<br />growing fiNtl ot flecreation and Park Atl-
<br />minbtration, there hae been concern regar-
<br />Eing 9oab end objectives sou8ht antl prac-
<br />tieetl bY Contemporerin.
<br />We ara told that all indications point to
<br />en expaneion of aroae of reeponsibility tnat
<br />Bre to incl�d� tlixiplinea which, in timas
<br />pest, wxe lah w those ey�erts de0icatetl to
<br />en0 etlutated in t�ose tlisciplinas. We ara
<br />now tol0 that thox who do not become in-
<br />wlvetl in, eduuted for and activiacs lor a
<br />wide expanaion oi services embracing all
<br />from plenned paranihood to gerianics anE
<br />every[hing in Eatween that the professional
<br />worlC will paas them bY entl for cettain they
<br />will be cryinp in tha wildernesa.
<br />Very slron8 Oos'vions hava been iaken
<br />suppon.ing thia wncept. �hey may well De
<br />vatid. Aasuming thia ta be the case, great
<br />•pathy mus� po in aeveral directions. The
<br />.t is ro the educaton w�o are making
<br />every eHOrt to encourage young people to
<br />bui10 their future In perks, recreation and
<br />conurvation.
<br />The educators ara very much embroiled
<br />in the Oevelopment of Darks entl recreation
<br />as a O�ofesaion. We ware mld same years
<br />a0o that a D�a���on infere - tlemanOS -
<br />mastery of an accepted 6ody ot knowledga
<br />directly rMStad to ths tlixipline. Opiniona as
<br />w wha� wnatitutes the accepte0 botly of
<br />knowledge has heen discussed for years by
<br />all intereatad anC, es thie is written, �here
<br />has Deen linla known unanimity o/ opinion.
<br />In the meantims, studants ara attanAinp
<br />claases anA abaorbinp coune material con-
<br />tem. Tests aro contlucted, rexarch papen
<br />wbmitted end examinetiona given, taken
<br />anA paasatl or fai�ed. Degrees are qrantetl,
<br />internshipa servetl antl caraers launched.
<br />EmOathy must aleo be direcfed at ihe
<br />atudmt who, at the outseq eapresses e
<br />dmire to make a future in the area en-
<br />comPessing parks, racreation and con-
<br />6ervation.
<br />The curritulum material Oresently offe�eG
<br />is most compmhenaiw, as it must ba, ro
<br />nA^Quately preDare tha stutlent for e major
<br />� ��. � .�nd operation of n
<br />a�ccesz(ul eMpei�ence. $pace here will not
<br />permh a tlwrouph delineation ol materisl in-
<br />UudeO. M eAou10 be noted, however, that
<br />the broala tM roN of the Administralor,
<br />the groata tha wuna cantem. ihe greater
<br />a�w ara 1M requimments o� thox to
<br />present the material. If areaa formeAy
<br />888ocieted With Sotiel work responsibilitias
<br />are to be added ro the assigneE tasks ot
<br />thosa responaible for parks, recreation anE
<br />conservation, then it woulE seem that staH
<br />additions in departments wou1C Ee a
<br />D�erequisite far successtul operation.
<br />�t has been poinretl out that in the State
<br />of New Jersey, af those communities being
<br />served by lull-time year-round re[reation
<br />and park personnel, 85% have a population
<br />of leu than 25,000. Most are "one man"
<br />departments which means that the perwn
<br />in charge has fhe responaibiliry for
<br />acpuisition, developmant, pro8ramming,
<br />supervision, administration antl all else
<br />relatetl to the operation. Somehow, tha per
<br />son Is e�pected also to be available et least
<br />to local clubs and organizationa, serva on
<br />boartlf or committees, be active in the
<br />religious institution of his/her faith and a
<br />good family person. Additional time is to 6e
<br />devoted to Orotessional davelopment by at-
<br />tentling saminars, conferencea o� meetings
<br />related to recraetion, Darks antl con-
<br />serva[ion. Frea time beyond that, no tloubt,
<br />is e.paaee to be used for personal
<br />reCreation to set en ezemple fOr the rest of
<br />tha communiry.
<br />T�8 person is eepetteE to Ee an authority
<br />on park tlesign, buAgetirg 125% worth of
<br />services wit� 90% a00ro0riatbn. know alt
<br />�elevant facts abou[ Ohysiwl, wciai,
<br />cultural and hobCy intarestn for those from
<br />pra�seh0ol to eenior citizen.
<br />To spraed thia peraon yet thinner Dy ad-
<br />tlinq a"holistie" apD�oach to hie assign•
<br />ment may subject the anthusiastic anE lear-
<br />ned iCealiat to mors than was bargained for.
<br />Incidentally, tha term "holiaNi ' hes baen
<br />used of lete by a limited numDx of thox
<br />who might Ee classified as practitionen.
<br />Ot queetions - anA Uemandn - made by
<br />constituents urveA by Recreation an0 Perk
<br />DeDartmana, most hava to do with
<br />tacilitiea, proDram, maintenence end leader�
<br />ship. "Cen we Aave another pool, ball fielA,
<br />picnic erea, opsn epace, neture centa, im
<br />door lacility, senior citizan center, place 1or
<br />��,�r ��I��=�t1 trCtf°�12" otc. ap inl�niFUm.
<br />"la It oot Ooulble Por the melntenence
<br />peoDle to rapair damages inflicted bY �an�
<br />dals withWt ehu[ting down en enlire
<br />lacilily7
<br />Cont. on vep. �. col. t
<br />by
<br />Jeck FoleY. Supt. o/ Rxreanon, CuNr Ciry, CsbYOn
<br />The rxreation and perk movement fs not
<br />immune to the wCiel and econOmie naues
<br />that tlominaro aa our country entere in thir6
<br />century. Maving concludW a national tla
<br />ba[e and election last fall, solutians are de-
<br />veloping for economic problems, high un-
<br />employment, eHicienty in governmsnl,
<br />crime, pouerty, racial en0 ethnit harrtwny
<br />entl marat leadership. Our inner chy popu-
<br />tations ere okan reptab witlr alienetion,
<br />emotional tleprivalion, high crime, unem•
<br />D�oyment and a diaintprateA sense o� com-
<br />munity. Citinns in urben America are
<br />bacoming increasingly mobile, fleeing Ihe
<br />innar City, involved in changing family rela•
<br />tionahipa and lifealylea, ezpnienting naw Or
<br />altared pattarns of houaing, work antl lei-
<br />sure, and am entwined in changing value
<br />systema.
<br />The quas[ion being asketl amony many
<br />reeeeation end perk D�es+fonala ie: Can
<br />the leiwre eervites model cope in a perio0
<br />of rapid aocial erM ewnanic change7 We
<br />are wknessing e sociel revolution tAet haa
<br />altered tha consciousneu of women,
<br />minorNiM, eWerly, gay people, handica0ped
<br />and the young. Thex poweAul cocial forces
<br />are claahing with traditionai values at a time
<br />when wme perk and retteetion persons are
<br />awaking to ths enormou� potenriel of
<br />leisure for human devebpment, mennl
<br />health, and coneervatbn of human snd
<br />ph�MIWII080UfCP5.
<br />I[ is this potsno.l (hq dslinN our htun
<br />end will de�xm���. our rols in Amxic�'�
<br />third cenwry. Racmtion end pnk apmcia
<br />must c�oosa batwsen oHUMp s �eheAula
<br />of leisure eervice�, tekinp ears M our parks
<br />ar dedpninp om �arvlus m mske psopls
<br />atronper and Improvin0 th� Iiv7ng �nviron•
<br />ment of our communkias.
<br />One o0��mistic trend it the �vowinp
<br />ewarenese in recent W�n tMt ons of ths
<br />mose prednp problams Ixfnp loeal povarn•
<br />ment i� ths dMiwry ot senien ro mM tM
<br />inereaein0 bciel neaAS Inhsrant in Ilvinp in
<br />tha seventiee.
<br />Some ci17n in Calilornia aro now elJhinB
<br />Irom meetinp tha mo�t bmic humen nsetl�
<br />- tire, paiice end community develoDmen�
<br />- to nuxmpis 10 addresa e vast aqey. pl
<br />, i'sl i�cues. One roason is ih3 !.I
<br />shift IndaraY flnanclal esslaronea m�.iiiex
<br />and caunties Irom the tratlilional catsflori-
<br />cul lundinp �o block grante. Anot�er reawn
<br />is the dose Orawimity of thin to its cititen�.
<br />whero ci�izen� ean eaMly IASntify and
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