Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1871-01-06

consistency. g We starve the body to feel th-
mind - Hear the strong words Of W. B. Hod-
son e Look at the number, TOO great, @
schools where young ladies are educated within
an inch Of their lives, perfected into paieness
aud accomplished into spinal distortion and pull
uoaary phthisis.''
Gymnastics are too ,i05 for Us Americans
They 90 not exhibit results rapidly enough
Don't ''pan out well, - as Bret Harte would saw
FOR such high pressure people as we a-e. L
We 10 not see results Immediately following the
application Of our energies to an object we are
impatient, and give up in disgust. We resolve
to educate the body, and begin BY wrenching
and straining it in some violent exercise foz an
hour, and then grumble that we have only made
ourselves tired, lame and sore, without acquir-
ing any bodily improvement IS well might a
person set out to become a master Of the piano
by pounding violently upon the keys with his
fists fo- an hour, and then complain that be is
no better player than before and has only sue
caeisi in bruising his hands.
Formerly, teachers who eGdesvoIei to give
their scholars a thorough and Systematic CO.
Among these obstacles was the great cost Of ap-
psratps, the lack Of room, the lack Of regular
system. and the difficulty Of sustaining interest
without IT,; the absenceof the stimulus Of united
sction, the danger attending the exercises. and
the impropriety Of girls taking part in them.
These obstacles are each and every one almost
entirely obviated in Lewis New Gymnastics for
sch0Cls The apparatus. Of E2nds, rings, &c.
is simple, inexpensive aud easily procured, and
the free gymnastics are practicel without spps-
rGtus Of aay kind; no regular gymnasium is re-
quirel; tie school-room, the hall or even the
play ground, any place where the arms can be
ou-stretctei, can be used; the exercises are re
iucai 10 a regular and perfect system, they are
peri Imel by any number Of persons simultsne-
01-'v. there is ne: the least danger attending
the. practice; the delightful stimulus Of music
can and ought 70 be added, ard better than all
there IS not Cne exercise which cannot be per-
formed with perfect Ir0prieiy, safety and sue
cess 1y women. This is the most important ad-
vantage Of all Surely if either sex should be
excluded from gymnastics Il Is the male Boys
have the athletic sports Of the playground TO
partly compensate them for the want Of scientific
paysl-al education; bat if girls are excluded
from gymuastc discipline there is G.nost abso-
lutely no compensation.
experience, for, although experience keeps a
dear school there are, We know, certain --
rupIri-s, (.et US say, with all tenderness, who
will learn in no other, and having been one Of
the "empirics" l may be permitted TO 90 relate
my experience in a word. Having given the
New Gymnastics 2 thorough and systematic
trial, I assert that ! would never gain eudeavor
TO tea'd a school without them. / say to teach
ers, the introduction Of them into your schools
will crestly c0nduce 20 your success ia your pro
fssi1n. Beside the motive of tufg 20 your
scholars, you have the incentive Of your own
persona. benefit, Of e0peiiency, aul policy, TO
sctua'e you. Il hope DO not make stronger
sPpeal ia this than when presented the inceu-
tive Ct 9ug)- Scholars enjoy these exercises
beyond any sport Of the playground. They
look forward 90 their daily gymuastic exercises
with the most peasur1b,e auticipauons The
new fystem insists upon being EJayci. ari 1t
achieves this object by the vivacious character
o. It's movements, and tie c1atsgion oi perfect
iy concerted acto1. They make cheerful.
tright-eyed, diliceut, pleasant and healthy sch7l-
aTs have seen disorisrly, ind0leat, ire
cuar scholars under thei- influence become
orderly. industrious, and attentive; and have
seen children with weak limbs and feeble con-
situations grow supple, s-r0uE aud healthy. /
bali .' sli1 NY say tut while an q Vermont
teccherl DO uot propose 70 let this subject rest,
but hope TO have other opplr-unities 20 a-iute
it more strongly and fully, especially iu the
matter q practical sdvice To teachers wish
ing 60 introduce gymnaftcs iat5 their schools
| wul,l recommend Dio Lewis New Gymuas-
tics, and for very small scholars Miss Flora
Parsons Calisthenic songs. Let me now close
this article with a quotation from Moses Colt
Tyler, who expresses my idea much better thsn
I cal l0 it: d" venture to isy down the pro
position that physical culture VIII no. receive
its true recognition, until every scloo. IS founded
on the creed that the body is as essentially the
suhjec, Of its educational care IS the mind re-
luiriu- for its development scientific prepare
ton and earnest, conscientious praotice that
physical exercise should be no more committed
20 th. gudirectej efforts, 20 the vh.ms, ami hap
hazard experiments ot the pupils, thsn should
Geometry ar Grammar Bodily culture sholii
be received as an equal AMI h5uorel occupant
in the great temple oC Education, not kept
staining urou he door-ste0s Ike a si.7e7iu-
begcar, nor thrust down into tie scu,.sry as il
it were some servant Of dirty work.
Don OLt2a.