St. Landry democrat., 1890-08-16
Woman's Physical Health.
IMPORTANCE OF BODILY TRAINING AND
HYGENIC PROBATION.

IMPORTANCE OF BODILY TRAINlNt AMI
HYGENIC PROBATION.
Mr.. Frederick Treves calls attention to
perfectly new branch of the work under
taken by the society with reference to
physical education. Within the last few
wears and immense deal of attention had
been directed to the matter OF physical
education. 1t had been pointed out that
the education of the mind was we'll looked
after while the education of the body was
practically allowed to look after Itself.
PareLt did moi r alze that proper physl-
cal education must be conducted on as pre-
else and as careful scientific lines as the
ordinary education of ..the mind Parents
were quite content to send their children
to eymuasia, and when they had done this
felt satisfied that their physical education
was completed. They were unaware tnat
there was no proper control over the beach
ers of gymnastics and calisthenics, large
number of whom were people totally CnnS
for their work.
The particular object of the society had,
perhaps, rather more reference to children
| and women than to men and boys. AS :"
| matter of fact, the latter class was ADMIR-
| ably looked after. No one could hnd much
| to criticise in the athletic pursuits OF our
public schools. When they came to the
London shop boy they found his conditlon
had been materially changed; he hao
taken to bicycling and other pursuits
| When they came to schools, ana espec-
ialy to girls schools, it must be confesSe q
that the conditions were about as bad as
they very we'll could be. They heard a
good deal of the enormous advances OF
civilization during the last hfty or one
t1nsr NJ
proyeuent on the unfortunate savage, who
had straight limbs graceful carriage and
an absence of the ordinary aches and pains,
and he was not disposed to De always
taking tea or to be living in an atmosphere
of tonics. People did not seem to OF
aware that by a iudiciously supervised
system of physical education, exercises
and due attention to the development OF
the BODY it was possible to alter its proper
tons, to reduce redundances and to de
yelop deficient and feeble muscles.
Motives of vanity and regard for thu
future physical development of their glrl
might so influence mothers who were in
different to higher considerations to SCI
that the physical education of girls wa
carried out, whether in families or IL
schools, under persons train I'd, skilled ane
having the requisite knowledge to max
such physical training in all respects use
full and in no case injurious Neither coul'
it be said of the very limited amount o
physical training now given to girls. l
was pointed out that the National Healtl
societys diploma would be granted to sue
teachers of gymnastics, caliisthenlcs an
physical exercises rs had fulfilled the nee
essary curriculum and passed the require
examinations.
The society hoped by the institution o
| this diploma to encourage the develop
ment of physical education in this country
to render such training precise, etfectus
and scientific to protect the public, On tn
, one hand, from incompetent teachers, and
on the other, to establish the position q
such instructors as were fully qualified
, 1t was Intended, however, that the wor
of such teachers should be devoted and r.
stricted to the one legitimate object Sc
forth in the diploma, namely, physics
training, and that they should not under
! take the treatment of deformity or diseas
by movement cures" remedial exel
cises, massage and the like. The diplon
t would certify that the candidate ha
passed an examination in the art an
science of physical education, had futile
) the curriculum required by the society
, and WAS fully qualified to act as an II
| structor Of gymnastics, csiisthenics an
i physical exercises generally Me-
| ieaL T0uranL