The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-07-23
PHYSICAL CULTURE IN NEW Or
LEANS.

1t has never been charged against the youn
men of the Crescent City that they were at al
lacking in either intellectual ability or cul
ture; they have always been able to vindicat
in the noblest manner any hint suggesting
their lack of mental culture. In all college,
or universities, where they have had repre-
sentatives, right royalty have they been rep
resented.
Almost every year we receive news of The
great success of some of our New Orleans
boys at popular colleges throughout the land
In all literary tournaments they have bravely
couched their lance, and rarely been un
horsed. But it has long been a mild re-
proach to us that our young men paid SO little
attention to the development Of the physical
man; in fact we have frequently in our travels
heard the epithet "puny" applied to the
youth of our city.
1t was claimed that either through indo-
lence or culture, we had deemed our physical
education probably unworthy of cultivation,
or had lacked the inclination or energy to
labor for that development of the natural man
which is justly deemed so essential to long
life or intellectual power. We rejoice that at
last there has arisen in our midst species of
enthusiasm relative to those sports which
serve to develop the muscular formation,
and to educate to proper degree of excel
lence the physical capacity of our youth. As
soon as the success Of one rowing club be-
came even probable, others organized, and
now we have as meny as any other city of the
same size in the country.
The gymnasiums of the city are better
patronized now than they have been for many
years past, and their proprietors feel quite
proud of the great success attained by their
pupils, and point with pride to many who
exhibit great improvement from their atten-
ton to the discipline imposed upon them; and
even among those who belong to neither
rowing club nor gymnasium, gradual
change for the better in their physique is no.
ticeable, and this is in great measure owing
to the fact that in the rooms of large num-
Der of our young men may be found dumb
bells, Indian clubs and such like instruments |
for the development of physical strength and
power.
Outdoor exercise of every sort is much
more common now among our young men
han it was before the war, and, were it not
or the fact that SO few of them are financially
sble to own horses. we doubt not that riding
would soon become much more fashionable
lmong them than the more indolent buggy
Irving which SO many now indulge in on
hese pleasant summer afternoons.
There is great interest now being felt in
he matter, and the father who is contem.
'lating sending his son to college asks i'm
nediately if there is a gymnasium connected
nth the institution, or what opportunities
re afforded the student of cultivating the
hysical man while the intellect is being
ursed and trained by the regular professors ,
f the college. |.
We see in all this subject of much con- !
ratulation. Let our youth give such atten-
on to the hygienic sports as many of them
. to the lighter and more frivolous amuse-
ents offered in our fun. loving city, and in
10 future We shall have people noted not 1
IS for their stalwart frames than for their
'eat intelligence and literary culture.