Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-08-02
Coneeruinr Athletic sports.

few years past in the cultivation Of athletic
games,
Men believe in Muscular Christianity
as well as in the development Of the brain.
The time is passed when highly cultivated
minds, attached to puny, weakling bodies,
are to rule the world, if. indeed, at any
time they have been the dominant power.
Nowadays, to be a great man it is essential
in the first place to be a great anima'.
The basilar forces of the brain must be
vigorous in their operations. 1t is impos-
sible to engraft great, constant, heroic in
tellectual efforts upon bodies that have
scarcely vital force sufficient to carry On
the functions of respiration, digestion and
circulation.
The days of branbread and oatmeal Por-
ridge. for hearty, deep-lunged und strong
lv-stonaehed men and women have for
ever departed. Branbread and the starve-
ling system Of dieteticS devised by Sylyes-
ter Graham may yet be in vogue in GER
tain quarters of the earth. But the pow
er once exerted by the Graham philosophy
is exploded Beef and potatoes, bread
and coffee, are assuming their proper min
istrations in the world, or at least would
do so on this western continent were not
prices on the rampage.
Within the past ten years much inter-
est has been taken in educational insti.u-
tions in the question, how can we make
sound minds in sound bodies. So much
progress has been made that high
school, an academy, or a college, without
some systematic plan Of physical instrue-
tion, is decidedly behind the times. In
some schools are found facilities for heavy
gymnastics; in others the lighter systems
of DR.. Lewis are in vogue; while in others
there is the military drill All these are
good In their way, and during inelement
weather indispensable to good physical |
training.
What however, We wish to call partieu-
lar attention to is the subject Of outdoor
sports, such as ball-playing, rowing, swim
ming and others. In these athletic games
we believe the East is in advance Of the
West. All New England Colleges that
are within accessible distance Of the water
have regular boating clubs and annual
The Sophomore classes of Yale
and Harvard, on Friday last, competed
with each other on Lake Quinsigamond,
near Worcester, Massachusetts. The re-
gatta was attended by large number Of
spectators, who felt an interest not only in
the issue of the contest, but also in the as
surance that the contest afforded that mus
eular development is yet to be exalted in
this country to the rank Of a science
of the first importance, and an art
which all young men and young women
will practice. For ten years rowing has
been one of the chief attractions Of both
Yale and Harvard, and there must even
tually be a stronger race of scholars
grown in both in those classic retreats, in
consequence of these athletic games.
Ball-playing is getting to be one of the
dne arts in many,educatiOnal institutions,
in the eastern colleges. To be
a frst-class man at baseball or cricket is to
enjoy honors as enviable as those which
cluster on the brows of valedictorians.
Swimming ought to be learned by all
classes of people. There ought to be pro-
visions made in the city of Cleveland
which would enable girls to learn the art
If swimming. As it is now, if woman
3 SO fortunate as to be able to swim, it is
lot by reason Of any facilities that have
'een afforded her, but rather the conse-
Iuence of her own indomitable energy in
overcoming obstacles. Every man, woman
md child may lay it down as a rule, that
turing the course of his life he will be ex-
posed once or more times to drowning. 1t ;
'annot be otherwise, so long as we are so
a nation. In such emergencies
o know how to swim is to know how to
ave ones life.
In addition to this practical advan-
age arising from a knowledge how to
win, all boys and all girls who have
ported in the water will testify that bath t
ng is the most luscious of all luxuries
ouchsafed by Providence during hot
weather.. If we could have our views
ealized, we should have bathing-hOuses
N the lake shore, where the best facilities
hould be furnished to enable all classes
o learn the art of swimming. I
Let US, as a people, encourage athletic
,ames and sports. Let it be an automatic
lQctrine of all our educational systems, !
hat whatever mode Of education provides G
most completely for the development of c
9th mind and body is that which should /.
e encouraged and sustained. t
The future Republic wants no dwarfed, q
iuling children. 1t wants men and wo-
nen of fine physical growth. 1t wants
nen who can endure toll; men who can i
pply their minds without running their /
bodies into the grave.
Let western schools, academies and col
sges initiate the enthusiastic sports +
f the New England schools, and create a I
Aith In the utility and pleasure of al out
iOOr athletic games and sports.