Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-12-10
CITY AND DISTRICT.
THE NATIONS HEALTH.
VI THE PHYSICAL TRAINING OF YOUTH L
GERMANY-sEwERD IsINFECTION IN DETROIT

~ Ahh fhfS1CAL TRAINING OF YOUTH IN
GERMANY-sEwERD IsINFEcTIoN IN DETROIT.
An afternoon session was held yesterday by
the American Public Health association at VIII.
iaio hail. 1t was taken up with hearing the
report py the committee on state boards OF
neaith. DIR. Granville p. Conn, of Concord, n.
H. presented the report, which stated that
Maine, Kansas, and Pennsylvania had COM
pietea the organization of their state boards OF
neaith since the last meeting. The report
e'''e' mat q. conference of boards, through a
1onunii'tee, had adopted recommendations.
1ooAing 10 annual conference during the sessions
OF the Public Health convention, and proposing
oit any conclusions of this conference that are
~ " .nceIest 10 the public shall be reported by
assoc sSs to,, 10 the American Public Health
state boards OF health.
THE EVENING SESSION,
AT last evenings session of the American Pub
TIC Health association, Dr. E, nj. Hartwell. OF
Johns Hopkins university, of Baltimore. read
an al Interesting paper on "The German System
Veiopment Of turning in Germany how phys-
icai training was obligatory, not only in the
aash schools, but In the lower or public schools,
anu Al was now obligatory in the schools for girls.
me aim was not only to train the soldier but
10 educate the pupil tremendously The school
to turning. They begin the exercises ar the age
OF and carry it on until they leave the schools
70 enter the university or the industrial schools.
fuplls were excused from turning only on a
Scertlncate by physician that it would be
better LOT them not to engage In turning. There
were IN Berlin 80 gymnasiums maintained by
imperial government. In Observation-Disclosures
Main each of the 81 schools had it's gym
nssium. They were not SO luxuriously fitted
as gymnastums in this country, but were ad-
mlraDiy adapted to the purposes tor which it
was intended. In Frankfort two hours weekly
were given in the schools to compulsory play.
teaching m ~ nj mr.
universally.
THE CHARACTER OF THE MOVEMENTS.
The movements for different ages were varied,
but were all parts of q regularly organized sys-
tem The little ones begin with marching run
ming, Jumping, skipping the rope, and then pass
on 10 the use OF the different apparatus-the
parallel bars, the horse, and many others that
are not seen here. In the higher classes the boys
we were taugnt fencing, They were taught by reg
uariy trained teachers, not mere gymnaSts,
VINO received normal training, Just as other
teachers did. In these normal schools officers
of the German army went through the course of
gymnastics that they could teach the SOL
d1ers. They could see in Germany a squad of
men with knapsacks scale a brick wall twenty
renee, fifteen feet high, without catching their
clothing. Then they were taught also to 20 over
bitches and stockades, and receive special in
struct1on In fencing and saber exercises.
DIR. Hartwell gave an interesting account of
the great turner tests. He thought the German
system practical and well-deyised, and that it
tanned very many lessons which it behoOved
Americans to study.
REMARKS BY GOV. GRAY,
Gov. Gray, of Indiana, who had just arrived in
the hall, was introduced, and made brief ad-
dress, commencing the work of the association
He said it was a notorious fact that the Ameri-
can people paid less attention to their health
than any other people in the world. They were
a rapidly growing people, and had not time to
look after their health; they would not have
time to die it Providence had not ordained that
they should die, without regard to the business
on hand. II the ladies and gentlemen here
would use their influence to carry into effect
the teachings of the association they would do
more for the country than all the politicians
put together. 1t was not worth while to cram
the mind If there was not q good constitution
behind it. A good digestion moved a person on
more rapidly than any advice any one could
give him.
DIR. o. w. Wight, health officer of Detroit, read
paper on Experiences in Disinfecting
sewers he gave an amusing account of tho
wretched sewer system Of Detroit and detailed
successful experiments he-had made disinfect-
fng them by burning sulphur In pals sus-
pended in manhoes.
The last paper of the evening was one by Dr.
BENJAMIN Lee, of Philadelphia, on '"rhe Debit
and Credit Account Of the Plymouth Ep-
demic.'