Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-01-23

SHALL We HAVE A Gymnasium Fit is
quite remarkable that q city of the popu-
lation ours, and boasting of as much en-
l~ightenment should be SO far behind the
times as it in many respects is. We have
no organized modes of recreation looking
towards healthy physical Development,
Our clerks Of all kinds, and artisans who
have their evenings free from the labor
which cramps and tires them by day, in
| their instructive search for relaxation and
diversion, find only the theatre or the min
strel hall open to them, and insteadOf find
ing recreation there, they get in the fetid
air Of those haunts only feeble amusement
! for the mind and still farther pfostration
for the body. We greatly need a gymna-
stun in this city, a place where young men
may meet an hour of an evening, or during
the day, and learn that they have muscles,
and engage in the exercise of developing
the same until it shall be aAluxury to feel
themselves. 1--WE know it is laid down by
an authoritative writer, and widely accept
ed, that he is blessed who does not know
that he has asystem; but there is, never
theless, a perfect rapture in the conscious
mes of health and strength. 1t is a most ex-
~eelIent thing to be a fine animal and feel
the native heather or bear, that is, the
giant, in you. And any mode of exercise
which has a tendency to reach this result,
Should be hailed as a gospel by all the
Brethren who are weak in the knees,
arms, legs, back or in the faith.
Now, a gymnasium is a place
which gives at once the advantage and
pleasure of a social club and the benefit of
invigorating manual exercise. The minds
of srtisahS who have tired by strict atten-
ton all day to the work in hand; of clerks
who have wasted their energies measuring
tape; and of lawyers whose vim has all
oozed out in plying the arts of their craft,
may find in a gymnasium, in the company
gathered there, Just those restoring infu-
ences in quest of which it is lead to thea
tres, parties, &c. and at the same time gain
physical relief and tone up the tagging sys-
tenn by calling into exercise set of muscles
which have for the most part laid inactive
through the day. 81
1t is evident that the young men Of this
city, as well as the young ladies, are on the
"wane." Where is there a paler, punier,
peakeder, more wee-waw, slimsy, needful
of padding, hollow-cheeked and sunken-
eyed set than here o 1t would be hard, to
find 3 more pitiable population just arrived
at, or bordering on, adult years. And their
condition fnds ready explanation in the fact
that they lave no means or opportunities
for exercise other than those supplied by
their daily avocations. We had two small.
boat clubs in the summer, cricket and base
ball ditto, butthe members of these Organi-
cations, compared with the number of out
siders in such a city as this, were in the wee
minority. We need such clubs, but We
need a broader, more inviting and popular
organisation and a gymnasium, well con-
Quoted, applies with more clOseness to the
public necessity than any expedient We can
think Of
We have been led into these remarks by
authentic intelligence that a man named.
shadders, at present the, proprietor Of ..
thriving gymnasium in Buffalo, designs sell
ing out, and offers to bring his materials to
this city, set them up and put in good rum
ming order a gymnasium Of the first wster,
for the sum of 500. We are of the opinion
that an enterprising man, who should take
hold Of this affair, might make a good thing
hof it. Meantime, and preliminary to all,
will the young men of the city second and
sustain an enterprise of this sort y It is
surely a public necessity, and new that
physical salvation is brought to their very
doors, will they avail themselves of it, Wo
shall see. 10 ! lefl