The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1865-06-03
NOTES OF THE WEEK.

NOTES or THE WEEK.
a GYMNAsIUM.-We are informed by MIR. Charles
Derby, so long and well known as an Instructor in
gymnastics, that he is about to open q gymnasium,
in 4 building to be erected for the purpose. His
terms are thirty six dollars per annum, or four dol
lars a month. He has already twenty.four yearly
subscribers, but is DESTROYS Of obtaining more names
before commencing the building. We should be
pleased to see a gymnasium started in this city and
literally supported, confident as We are that it will
be the means Of promoting health and longevity.
Many in this community lead sedentary lives, and
such require exercise of some description to keep up
health and strength. Some take to horseback riding,
which is no doubt an admirable exercise, but it is
not every one who can afford to keep q horse, to do
SO requiring an outlay two, if not three times larger
than the monthly payment required at the gymna-
stun. Again, one does not like to start off alone for
exercise, and excepting in long summer days one has
no tine for q ride Of any length; while a pupil ut the
gymnasium may attend either a day or evening class,
and meeting "A number. it would lead to a certain
emulation, which, under the guidance of q careful
instructor, could but he productive of good. Where,
then, so many temptations, more seductive by far,
exist in this city to tempt persons to other modes Of
spending their leisure hours, it requires some little
moral courage and frmness of character to under
take u COURSE OI gymnastics, which IN the END VIII
be Of lasting benefit. We give a couple of extracts
frMn an address of the Nahl Brothers, gymnasts to
the San Francisco Club.
The development of the strength of the human
body brings with 1t SO many advantages, that it
should never 6e neglected. Unfortunately many per.
sons think that if they improve and strengthen their
minds, the body Of itself will attain its natural
strength. This, however, is not the case. We all
know, or should know, that the mental faculties of
man require more or less cultivation to develope
them; why, then, should we not use the same care as
regards the body, in trying to improve it in physical
strength; Gymnastic exercises should be practiced
from childhood, and those who have neglected so to
do, should not fail to atone for such neglect by prac-
ticing such exercises at every suitable opportunity in
the future. Health requires it. 1t has been proved
that persons Of advanced age and declining health
have, by regular courses of gymnastic exercises, re,
gained much OF the vigor and freshness Of youth.
IL may be that persons unaccustomed to such train
ing will fad the fatigue rather unpleasant at first,
but this should not deter them from continuing the
exercise with energy and perseverance,. Compare the
men who have had the advantage of gymnastics with
those who have had no opportunity TO develope their
physical energies, and it will be found the former
not only surpass the latter in activity, strength, and
health Of body. but also in vigor of mind. = = y
How often in the course of life are we exposed TO ac- 4
cidents of various kinds, A slow moving. weak
man would, under such circumstances, perish; while,
on the other hand, he who is accustomed 10 gymnas-
tic exercises, and has acquired by them strength and
activity, Is not only able to help himself, but also to
rescue others from perilous situations. We have
nu merous instances Of persons losing their lives
merely for the want Of bodily strength and elasticity.
In Europe, the practice of gymnastics is regarded
rs an Indispensable part of education, and schools for
that purpose are found in almost every place, they
have even gone so far as TO introduce them into the
military and fire departments, both of which are OBJ
lged to devote a certain time regularly to this
branch. 1t is highly important that parents should !
train their children from early childhood to suitable
bodily exercises, or send them where such benefits
can be received. For such schools, none but com De- /
tent teachers ought to be emplOyel bpcausa Tho doll;
cate body of the child may be injured by not using
proper precaution.
\ FREScHaAs on THE RAMPAGE.-A Frenchmnn
who has been employed for some six months Mt the
,annery at Moanalua, wrote n letter some time last
week to the French Commissioner, stating his inten-
of killing sundry Frenchmen, a Pole, OF giving
his own body to the sharks and his soul 20 the devil.
and also stating that he was n deserter from the Sec
ZOuaves, in Mexico. He commenced his cam
paign by cutting in pieces the clothing Of n friend,
and on Sunday night placed combustible material
under the store Of a Frenchman, on Mauna Kea
street, and set fire TO il, which was discovered and
put out before much damage had been done. Mon,
lay morning, about two o'clock, the Pole, who has
charge of the tannery at Moanslua, was awakened
BY his wife, who said she was certain some one was
n their bedroom, he immediately got up, and, while
preparing himself for n search, the person darted
ut Of the room, ~d:Opping a bowie-kuife as he left.
Upon going out. the Pole discovered that a building
lad been set on fire, which he Immediately put out
material from a vat. He soon after started for
own. to give Information to the authorities. telling
lis story TO others on the road up. The FreDchman,
n the meantime, had been discovered, and was ar
by a constable, and started for town. When
opposite the Kalihi bridge, he made a furious attack
u the constable, with a bottle and stones, and ran
i,,o tho ~ ubara ba jro,- -
ut his throat. The natives about the spot were
and called upon a foreigner, who pulled
im out Of the stream and started him on the road
gain. Surgical old was procured, the cash sewed
p, and the man is now in custody.
~ The Pacific Commercial .4ireyfiser, in wrap
since the sailing Of the last packet, two in num-
er, can De had at the counter. in the book store.
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