detestation of idleness

“In Detestation of Idleness”
Foster Rhea Dulles

This article describes the attempted suppression of recreational activities by the Puritans and the revolts by non-Puritans. The first English settlers in America brought with them an instinctive drive for play. They celebrated the first Thanksgiving by exercising their arms and entertaining the Native Americans with dance. It is from theses activities that American recreation grew to what we know today.
Despite these few occasions of play and recreation, the settlers did not have much leisure time. They had to continually work in this new harsh environment for survival. The “ruling powers” adopted strict regulations and laws not allowing amusements and enforcing work. There was a basic fact among the colonies: “if the settlers did not direct all their energy to their work, they could not hope to survive.” Once...