Morris tribune., 1885-11-11
rho Right splrlt in Athlotios.

One of tho worst features OF this
medal getting, "prize-hnnting' spirit
is that It deprives the greater portion OF
our youth Of a motive for physical
training. All can not win prizes in
athletics, any more than they can in
scholarship or in business. TO make,
then, the chance of winning something
the only condition of engaging in ath-
letic sports is the danger that threat
ems. Unless the word "sport" Is
inisnomer, young men should enter IN
to it from q, love of activity and the
sense of exhilaration that muscular ex-
.ercise gives to. the whole system. The
idea of having to hire the Hover OF our
youth to run, jump or play ball, seems
to us absurd. Has the cold,a calculat-
inc, mercenary spirit of the age taken
possession of all mankind, including
the boysp III so, we see but little hope
of the physical Improvement OF our
people through athletic sports.
But,many will say. "You must have
some incentive to hold out to young
men to induce them to exercise, as well
as the attainment of health and physi-
cal perfection. Exercise for the health rs
sake never did anybody any good. In
order to get benefit from physical exer.
ton one must be interested in it and
enjoy it, otherwise it is work which will
tend to weary and exhaust. i"
1t is to awaken an interest, then, in
exercise that, prizes and medals are
offered. But we have seen that this
does not have the desired effect. What,
then, is necessary? Before attempting
to answer this question, we must refute
the general assertion that the exercise
itself must be interesting and enjoyable
in order to be of benefit. Provided one
gives enough attention to bring about
vigorous and energetic contraction o1
the muscles, it matters not whether the
exercise is interesting in itself. If the
exercise is interesting one will undoubt'
edlysgive itsmore attention, and will in
this way more quickly secure the object
desired. But the one thing necessary
is to get the mental stimulus of the mus.
cles. Vigorous muscular contraction
depends upon the state OF the nerves,
! and the state Of the nerves upon the
condition of the brain. Once convince
yourie man of the importance of tax
inc systematic care of the body, moi
only as a means of health,sin its hack
neyed sense. but as a means Of positive
enjoyment, and we viii have no trouble
about getting him to exercise. Show
him. in a, a,hundred,ways what well-regu'
lated muscular exercise will do for him
that it will give him strength, energy
courage, control; that it will help him
ward OF disease, overcome obstacles
and fight the battlesSof life without feal
of physical bankruptcy. Make him
understand that thought, passion, anx
iety, attention, etc., feed upon the
body, and how dependent he is, moi
only for his happiness, but for his views
Of, life and its possibilities, upon the
condition of the physical organism
Teach him these things, in practica
common sense way by reference to sta
tistics, the experience of others, by the
study of biography, ETC., and he car
not be kept from his daily exercise any
more than a scholar can be kept from
his books or business man from his
newspaper.-ProteSsor D. 4. Sargent
of HARVARD College.