New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-01-14
Physical Education in Public Schools.

To the Editors of n. y. The Tribune:
There is a radical evil in our systems of
education both public and private to which wish
to call your attention and as this subject has an
important bearing on the late la@entable accident
which occurred in one Of our Common Schools, its
consideration may peculiarly useful at the present
time
refer to the very general neglect of bodily train.
ing, in all our educational institutions. The intellect
is admirably cultivated the best books. and the
clearest methods OF communicating knowledge, are
adopted with prasworthy zeal-5ut meanwhile we
forget that there is ply seal frame to be attended
to, so full Of activity, and intimately connected
with the mind that ii neglect to provide for its
necessities, the whole being viii inevitably suffer.
Bodily activity is essential to the we'll being Of the
Young the rapid growth which belongs TO child
hood. demands 1t as imperasively, us a flower re-
QuireS FIRE ecom for expansion under the rays OF the
sun. The nervous sy stem is peculiarly susceptible
in YOUTH and its activity is not directed TO physi
cal DEVELOPMENT but is stimulated by long continued
intellectual exeron, or irrltaled by confinement TO
the bench of the school room, particularly if the
is close or over.heated, an unnatural condition Of
excitement is produced, which eneeOieS the pow
of The child, ano pTeCispOses TO an unbalanced
action of the mental powers.
This evil OF one-slded development, in our pres
alienation OF bodily, with mental training. Every
hour, hour ana half, both teacher ana scholars
should spend quarter OF an hour, III rational gym
nastlc exercises These exercises should be based
on scientific principles they should be calculated
TO develope, Lot to exhaust the frame each move
mel should be III accordance with the nature OF the
hooy Its effects should be well understood and
It's execution marked by precision and vlgor such
exercises, performed i'll pure air, would strength
en the body, MAINTAIN Il cue balance IN the nervous
system, and be more efectual safeguard against
accident than the strongest Ddlustradei that the
builder could invent.
To ears out this system OF physcal educ at,oD
thoroughly, Central Gymnasium should be esEao
llelec, which would COnsutute q Normal chCOl II
Exercise, hence teachers we'll Instructed II move
rents based upon ply sioioScai principles, should
be d-Sulbutec 10 ali oar educational institutions.
Such Gymnasium exists IN SNeoen, support ID
b, the Government There for 40 years. the system
81 Gymnastics developed by the genius OF Ling has
been taught. The vallOUs branches ot tins system
Aave been applied 10 the training OF ine army, to
the education Of tne young % the cure OF disease,
&c. II iS baseG on 2 profound knowledge of the
human organiZailou Ia its spiritual ard ma,eral re-
atops, and II exciting mucu attention IL Europe
The Governments OF Prussia and France have IN
stucod Investigations respecting II, with The view
Ot Introducing II INTO those counaies ia kUss.a,
Germany ana Lngiand, the lutelest OF pny slClans
and other intelligent individuals, has been actively
crawn to LIS importance, and IN the latter country,
The worthy disciple OF Ling, Professor George, Is
eIdeavOring I" organize Normal Institution Tor
GYM astics, similar 70 that founded by Ling, II
Stockholm.
In view therefore Of the important benefit to be
derived by the young, from the cui ivatoa OF their
BODILY ~ well - mental powers. would suggest
Inc propnety OF peti!lOnng the Legislature 20 es-
;ablsh Normal Scaooi OF Gymnastics, where the
ant should be practsed mat scleuhc OASIS, Nhlcl
II mas now acquired IN Europe.
The expense VIII be small, compared wish the
bcleAt 10 be deIl,t1 nom such ~ li s,l.u,cn. Our
Common ScaoOi system directed % teachers as sk IL
iui III training the body as the mind, would be an
unmlXed blessing, aud mosel 10 the whole world.