Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-06-14
WOMAN's PHYSICAL HEALTH.
Importance of Bodily Training and
Hygienic PrecautiOn.

From the British Medical Journal
Mr.. Frederick Treves calls attention to a
perfectly new branch Of the work undertaken
by the society with reference to physical edu-
cation. Within the last few years an 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. Parents did not realize that proper
physical education must be conducted on as
precise and as careful scientific lines as the
ordinary education of the mind. Parents were
quite content to send their children to gym
nasiums, and when they had done this felt sat
lsfled that their physical education was COM
plete. They were unaware that there was no
proper control over the teachers of gymnastics
and calisthenlcs, a large number of whom were
people totally unfit for their work.
The particular object of the society had, per-
haps rather more reference to children and
women than to men and boys. As a matter of
fact the latter class was admirably looked after
No one could find much to criticise in the
athletic pursuits of our public schools. When
they came to the London shop boy they found his
condition had been materially changed; he had
taken to bicycling and other pursuits. When
they came to schools, and especially to the
girls schools it must be confessed that the
conditions were about as bad they very well
could be. They heard a good deal of the
enormous advances of civilization during the
last fifty or hundred years, and their marvellous
improvement on the unfortunate savage who
had straight limbs, graceful carriage and an
absence of the ordinary aches and palms. and
he was not disposed to be always taking tea or
to be living in an atmosphere of tonics
People did not seem to be aware
that by O judiciously supervised sys-
TEN Of physical education, exercises,
and due attention to the development of the
body it was possible to alter its proportions
to reduce redundances and to develop deficient
and feeble muscles. Motives of vanity and re-
gard for the future physical development of
their girls might influence mothers who
were Indifferent to higher considerations to
see that the physical education of girls was
carried out, whether in families or in schools
under persons trained, skilled and having the
requisite knowledge to make such physical
training In all respects useful and in no case
injurious. Neither could be said of the very
limited amount of physical training now given
to girls 1t was pointed out that the National
Health Society's diplomas would be granted to
such teachers Of gymnastics. calisthenics and
physical exercises as had fulfilled the necessary
curriculum and passed the required examine
tons.
The society hoped by the institution Of this
diploma to encourage the development of
physical education in this country; to render
such training precise effectual and scientific;
to protect the public, on the one hand, from
incompetent teachers, and, on the other, to es-
tablish the position of such instructors as were
fully qualified. 1t was intended however,
that the work Of such teachers should be de-
voted and restricted to the one Legitimate OBJ
ject set forth in the diploma, namely, physical
training, and that they should not undertake the
treatment of deformity or disease by move
ment cures, remedial exercises" massage
and the like" The diploma would certify
that the candidate had passed an examination
nhySlCAi Adnnafinn
had fulfilled the curriculum required by the
society, and was fully qualified to act as an
instructor Of gymnastics. caiisthenics and
physical exercises generally.