Rare Book Collection: Leisure & Recreation – Youth & Reform

Springfield College has an excellent collection of historical sources relating to the evolution of Leisure & Recreation. Examples include over 300 issues of the National Recreation Association Newsletter (1931-1941); rare camping periodicals, like Camping and Hiker (1927-1938), Camping World (1935-1942), and Campfire Chatter (1963-1979); and recreation monographs by location (for instance, California Recreation Commission, Brookline Recreation Commission, etc.).

The development of a Youth audience (Boy Scouts/Boys Clubs) and the reformation of American society by changing the trajectories of young people is also a major focus of the collection. Examples of Youth & Reform material include rare periodicals like the Youth Leaders Digest (1938-1967) and Boys Club Bulletin (1926-1953). This area of the collection also includes approximately 300 U.S. Children's Bureau pamphlets from the early 20th century that illuminates how the first federal agency within the U.S. Government - and the world - sought to improve the lives of children and families.