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31 in the House of Refuge a shortening of the period of youth meant a shortening of the work period:—child workers turn easily into child criminals.

"Civilization is the result of man's having been young; play has laid the foundation of culture by organizing his instincts and busying them in ways that tell for the future of the man. Play extends its influences over everything in childhood, and for the child everything can be made the subject of play."

If it be true that long youth means a high development, and that any shortening in youth means a proportionally shortened period of usefulness of the individual, it might be worth while to cast about for some means to preserve that youth to the necessary extent. Such a means can be found in play;—the chief guardian of youth. "The animal or child does not play because he is young, but has a period of youth because he must play … the very existence of youth is due to the necessity for play." Through expression, the body of the