Move on! Paths toward the Recognition of the Educational Function of Recreational, Physical, and Sports Activities in the United States (1880-1930)

In the period between 1880 and 1930 in the United States, scholarly debate in the humanities and social sciences paid increasing attention to the educational function of recreational, physical, and sports activities. The objective of this paper is to identify the main stages of this debate and outline its plural articulations, emerging from multiple disciplinary perspectives (sociology, cultural history, psychology, etc.) to the understanding of the social and cultural relevance of the recreational, leisure and sporting sphere of human action, with reference to heterogeneous socio-cultural contexts (school, urban spaces) different social actors (political institutions, educational agencies, sports clubs, leagues and federations). After having recalled the pioneers contribution to the recognition of the socio-educational value of physical, sports and recreational activities, the paper focuses in particular on four subsequent stages, that is on four related areas, of this broad debate: the societal importance of children and youth’s recreation as channels to prevent delinquency and to favour Americanisation and socialisation; the process of institutionalization of physical education in the American educational systems; the consolidation of competitive spots in American schools and college; the increasing professionalization and commercialization of college sports as the crucial stage towards the mass sportization in the USA.