[Sidenote: Selfish Play]
The grade schools in the suburbs of one of our largest cities give
special attention to outdoor play. They even require that the children
stay on the school grounds at least fifteen minutes after the school
proper is closed, and play games there. They encourage the playing of
ball by the girls and are anxious to have them interested in the game.
In one of these schools the principal, Mr. Warren, went to the eighth
grade rooms and gave the girls a talk on baseball. He advocated that the
girls in each eighth grade room elect by ballot a baseball team and that
these teams practice ball with the earnest expectation of being able
eventually to conquer any other eighth grade team in the suburb. After
school a ballot was taken and those receiving the highest number of
votes were considered elected on the team.
Those who failed to be elected felt, of course, various degrees of
disappointment and envy. Some proposed forming a scrub team of the
left-overs. Others were afraid that this would show the “team” that they
were jealous of them; whereas, they had been putting on a brave front by
saying to their classmates that they would not have accepted a position
on the team even if they had been elected.
The entire school grounds occupied about half a city block. This space
had to be shared with the boys and girls in all the other grades. It
naturally followed that there was little space to be used by each room.
Miss Darnell’s eighth grade ball team girls were anxious to bring fame
to themselves as champion players. Mr. Warren’s thrilling speech still
rang in their ears. His slogan, “We’ll beat ’em!” was passed from lip to
lip. As a result of this enthusiasm, this special team wished to play
ball at every intermission and before and after school. When they
played, the rest of the girls in Miss Darnell’s room were obliged to
keep off the ground allotted to that room. The girls who rebelled
against being nothing but “fans” were called “disloyal to their own
team” or “green with jealousy.” The play periods were no longer enjoyed
by all, but distinct factions arose, consisting of team and “fans,” and
as the team grew more and more determined to use the grounds at every
available minute the “fans” became less and less enthusiastic in their
support.