The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1863-10-22
Physical Culture in Schools.

To de Editor Of the Press:
A few mornings since there apes AIRED in
your paper an interesting article OH Physical
Culture, apparently designed to urge upon
clerks and sewing girls the Importance of phys
zeal development if they would retain health
and vigor very interesting class of persons
were not, however, remembered in this COM
munication. l refer to the school children !;
TO whom we expect soon TO commit the bur-
then OF life those who are to maintain the
honor Of our names among the nations OF the
earth.
III we bequeath TO them deformed bodies
and enieebled constitutions, however actively
we may strive to cultivate the mental powers,
our efforts will prove. TO great extent, fail
ures. If We make our schools hotbeds that
are to bring about forced growth of the mind
alone-and some do not scruple thus to desig-
nate many of our schools, especially in the
cities, where they are kept In operation most
OF the year-we shall have the mournial salts
faction, perhaps, of seeing some OF our children
freighted, il may be with our dearest hopes,
graduate with honor from the schools, but
with such enleebled constitutions that they
soon sink into an early grave.
We believe the common remark that the
best scholars in college are seldom heard from
after they graduate, is due more to this one
sided, unnatural training than TO any other
one cause. We are among those who believe
that the mental and physical powers are de-
pendent one upon the other, and consequently
each must receive its share of attention in
true, philosophical system of education. If the
young aspirant for future usefulness and honor
is permitted to lie propped up with one or both
elbows on the desk hour after hour, and day
after day, as is often the case, not, perhaps
taking the recreation allowed by the usual re-
cess, because, forsooth the preparation required
by the next recitation taxes to the utmost his
time and capacity, we need not be surprised if
we see him coming from school at last with
pale face, sunken chest, round shoulders or
crooked spine, ready to be hustled out of the
world by the first attack of diphtheria or fever
that appears, because there is not physical
vigor enough to resist it.
Many of our best educators are now turning
their attention earnestly to some remedy for
this mistake in our old systems of education.
Amherst College some time since appropriate
ed generous SUN of money for gymnasium,
which is now in successful operation. Will
liams' College has recently made an appropri-
alton for the same purpose. Not long since
We heard Prof. Phelps, of the New Jersey Nor
NAL School, say that he had introduced DIR.
Lewis New Gymnastics into that institution,
and ii had reduced his sick list" from 10 and
Is per cent. to per cent. The principal of
one Of the most fourishng seminaries in this
State said that he was about to introduce the
same system into his school, and considered il
SO well adapted to its purpose that it will be
introduced into all of the schools ere long.
Ought not the school authorities of this city
and vicinity to be among the first to attend TO
this matter? TEACHER.