The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1854-09-22
WHOLE NO. 7O2.
From the Washington Daily Globe.
The Turner's.


| Occasionally, bodies Of men, uniformly
clad in linen attire, parade our streets,
whose designation Of "Turners," con-
veys but little information 70 the puzzled
spectator An article in the New York
Tribune gives the following information
respecting them: .
"The FIRST that was heard Of the Turn.
eEs by the general public Of this country,
was in connection with the lameniable
riot at Hcboken 10 MAJ, 1851, when these
peaceful Germans were beset by gang
of bullIes, and bloody fight ensusd, in
which the Turner'S were not only tho
yictCTs, but had the sympathy OF tho en-
tire community. Since then they have
gone on, increasing in numbers, and exc
tending their branches wherever young
men Of German origin could be found TO
folm nucleus; and now we see that the
Fourth General Festival Of the Turner'S
is 10 be commenced at Philadelphia in
Che course Of the present week. On this
occasion, il is expected that sbou. Eve
thousand men, belonging TO some eighty
Unions, will take part in the gymnas,ic
performances, an we'll as in the 6ocial
pleasures Of the anniversary.
"The modern system Of physical dis
cipline, taught quite generally 10 Europe,
and introduced in few schools and gym.
nasiic establishments Of our large towns,
is, we believe, Of German origin, through
the idea is borrowed from tho ancienis.
The aim is, by scientific culture, to de-
velop the muscular powers in the fullest
health, endurance, and symmetry. As
long ago, as tho time Of the American
Revolution, Basedow, true philan,hros
pis, OF Germany, not only urged the es>
iablishment Of system OF education for
tho body, which should keep pace with
the training Of the mental faculties, bus
actually carried il into practice, and sss
up an institution Of the sort. Nearly
thirty years later, the famous John en-
ploycd the scheme for patriotic purposes,
and Turner's Unions, in which gymnas.
tics and hatred TO the foreign oppressos
were inculcsssd with equal efficiency,
sprang up oY,r oil Germany. II 10 ad-
mi,sed that The excellence Of the SOL
diers, an6 their success in she German
war OF independence, were in great
measure duo 10 the lessons received By
the young gymnaMs in these establish-
mems. After the war, the Governments
at FIRST favored these useful and patriotic
institutions; but il was soon discovcssd
that the spirit which had been Yaised
against an alien iyrani would closely scFlI.
snized the acts Of a domestic one
Hence the Turner'S became suspected,
and soon AFTER were suppressed. Oflsse
years, however, their exercises and meet
ings have been revived again in Germany,
and since l64S, shey have been sranss
ported TO this country.
''The name Turner's, comes from the
word to turn, which has essentially the
same Specification in English as in Ger
man, and may be applied TO gymnastics
in the one with about as much psoprieiy
as in the other. They are organized IL
Societies OF Uuions, without limitation 40
to numbers, meeting for exercise at res
gular times, aud as now at Philadelphia.
coming together once year for public
trial and competition with all the Unions
of the country. Persons Of every nation
ality are admitted 10 become members;
though as German is the language prin>
cipslly spoken, we believe there are lew
who are not Of German origin. The ex.
e,cises comprise the entire round OF &c.
roba,ic fea,s and displays Of strength aud
agility. Each Union has its meetings
for practice in the open ait when possible,
and emulation and the stimulus OF COM
mon effort BY numbers soon produce I'D.
mirable results in developing muscular
force and dexserity in the members"