The Constitutional. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1860-1861, 1860-11-24

PHYSICAL TRAINING IN SCHOOLs.--We
see the superintendent of the Boston schools
recommend the general adoption of the
gymnastic exercises rs regular part ct
the school training. II seems TO us there
is no movement of the day of greater i'm
portance TO the scholars individually, or
which is intended TO have gre alter inllu-
ence upon the well-being of the country,
than this system attic physical training
For sVcccss IN life, vigorous health is Of
greater importance than high intellectual
culture. Energy is what rules the world
AXE two boys, equal in every respect, box
one Of them up in school from morning till
night, and from year TO year, cultiyating
his mind at the expense Of his body, I'LL
his nerves has Gutgrown have muscles, and
bis brain has ouigrown his stomach; while
the other boy receives a fair lut equal de-
yelopemsut of both mind and body; gnd
what Is the result OF the two caEcsi The
scholar graduates perhaps with the highest
honors, but he leaves college a feeble and
complaining invalid /, intellectual and re-
fined, he silrinks with nervous sensitive
ness from the rude shocks of the battle Of
life. The result is, that b. is thrust aside
in n corner, or is tramplcd under foot in
the race. On the other hand, The man
who comes forth upon his career in Foss-
cssion of u vigorous constitution, has the
backbone, the nerve, the energy, that en-
ablcs him to win the great battle that
every human liz, ia. His days nrc filed
with healthiul and happy activity; his
slumbers are sweet st night his cheer
iulness (the natural effect good digcstion)
makes his presence n pleasure 20 all who
know him; lac becomes the father Jfhealih-
iul offspring, and fills b hons with mer-
nv voices; in short ful6lls all The purposes
II his being, and loads a prosperous, hap
py, useful and successful l'ts.
We hail the introduction Of physical
training into our common schools ~ being
calculated to mako tho American. the finest
race of men. physically, that the world hrs
ever seen; but We value il more ~ All im-
porant step IN carrying 10 still higher
point the unparalleled intellectual cultvs-
ton Of DIR pcople.--.Scic"ifc hmcricds.
THE CFrECTs or TuUACCO.--Sir Ben
jamia Brodie, an eminent London physician
va applied to recently to unite in petit
ton to have n Parliamentary committee
raised TO inquire into the ELECTS Of tobacco
upon the human system. lie declined.
! because lie did not consider such com
milice competent to investigate such sgub-
! jcct, but he has written letter upon the
subject 10 the London TGmcs, ia the course
Of which he says:
The ELECTS Of this habit ore indeed va
fioas he difference depending on the dii-
| ference Of con liu'ion aud the difference in
I the mode of llo othcrwi sr. But, from the
/ few observations which have been able
to make on the subject am led to believe
! that trro are few who do not suffer harm
! Iioa it, to greater or lcss extent. The
earliest symptoms are manifested in the
arrangement Of the nervous system. A
large proportion OF habitral smokers ore
| rendered lazy and listlcss, indisp0scd to
bodily and incapable Of much mental eI-
"Itioue Others ,uil'r from dcpr zfion OF
the spirits, amounting to hypochondriqsis,
Which smoking relievcs for time, though
IL aggravalrs the evil Afterwards Occa-
7jouaIly there il n general nervous excila-
ijIjly, which though very much Ices in
doc5c", rmtakos Of The nature Of the dli-
yiVps hrmr.s of druukarde. have known
,nsgy individuals to sui''r from scycrc
! pgju-, sometimes in one, somc,im"a iu aup-
/ thor u.,ri of tlr l4dv
/