Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-06-13
John r. Cook, and the report was ap-
proved. ,,,
The Convention then adjourned.
AT THE PARK.

had a splendid breathing spot.
AN INTERESTING EVENT.
Last evening DR.. John B. Hamilton,
Supervising Surgeon-General OF the
United States Marine Hospital Service,
of Washington. ID. c., lectured in the
basement OF the Fourth Street NJ. h.
Church. About all the resident and
visiting physicians were present, also a
large number OF citizens, including
members of the clergy and ladies.
DIR. Hamilton's topic was physical
Culture, Ancient and Modern" and the
lecture was exceedingly interesting.
The speaker was introduced by DIR. l..
ID. Wilson in a neat speech.
Or. Hamilton said:
! thank you for this gracious welcome TO
YOUR city. celebrated as it is, forthe beauty
and grace Of its ladies'; for the enterprise
and energy which have made its manuiac-
lures and mineral wealth famous through
out the world, and where the air IS laden
with historic "reminiscences.
Here on the banks of that noble stream
the French called 1.-The beautiful river,
where the last skirmish Of the Revolution
was fought. this city of Wheeling occupied
from the first a commanding position. one
which became the starting point for the
hardy pioneers 10 the unknown West.
From its past we may imagine what will be
the future glories Of this metropolis OF
West Virginia. When | come among you
from our Capitol do not feel as stranger
to speak TO you OF a topic in which we all
have a common interest, physical Culture,
Ancient and Modern
Within a few years there has been
great awakening in America on the subject
of physical education. il had begun 10 be
apparent that, with all our boasted progress
and wisdom IN general intelligence, arts
and sciences, we had omitted from our cor
riculum anything having for its object the
systematic training of the body The body
cannot become a perfectly working ma
chine without culture or training any more
than the mind can become intellectually
expert without that drill which we call
education.
II is not pessimistic view of the case 10
consider that one-fourth Of our population,
Of military age, could not pass
PHYSICAL EXAMINATION
as recruits, and majority Of
persons thus disqualified have
become so from neglect Of muscular
exercise. The hollow chested consumptive
was not long since the type of the scholar,
and the moral of this lesson was 10 teach
people 10 avoid schools, for fear OF the pro
duction Of physical defOrmity or imbecility.
II was this feeling that college graduates
were untitled to deal with the rough ele-
ments of daily lite in the world, that
brought about the changed sentiment
whereby our colleges now encourage manly
sports and exercises. Yet none OF our
private or public primary schools devote
any appreciable time 10 the cultivation OF
sound bodies. Our primary education
should begin with training the muscles, the
nerves. the eye, the ear and the hand at the
same time we commence 10 stimulate the
brain preccpt.
The speaker then proceeded 10 give
complete history of the Grecian sports and
their effect, and said that the physical wei
fare of the people has been one Of the chief
cares Of States since the organization Of
governments among men. and it has been
found that when the largest physical types
Of man existed, then also We're found exam
pies of the highest types of the human in
telect He spoke AT length Of the Grecian,
Roman and Spartan sports and games, aud
showed that when they became neglected
these countries lost their great power and
supremacy He spoke of the splcndors Of
the tournaments Of
THE MIDDLE AGES,
aud come on down 10 modern physical
training.
At the beginning of this century efforts
were more or less successfully made in
numerous counties 30 introduce gymnastics
into the primary schools and the family,
and the speaker proceeded 10 give a history
of the organization Of turn schools in Ger
many by Father John about the year 1910.
at time when the physical degeneration
of the people Of that country had become
very marked, and he thought il was ques-
tionable if the present revival OF interest
in physical training in America is not due
to the establishment of the American turn
societies.
DIR. Hamilton proceeded 20 tell how the
turner's become too strong In Germany,
and conscious Of their strength becoming
too bold in their political sentiments, an
official war was declared against them, and
in 1878 the turn places were closed, and IN
1919 Father John was arrested as dema-
gogue. turning being forbidden throughout
Prussia in 1870. In 1881 turning was again
allowed. and in 1910 John was uncondition-
ally released, and just before Christmas he
received from King Frederick ". the order
Of the Iron Cross Of the second class. The
turn schools grew and grew until so well
established in popular favor that by
ministerial decree January :, 1874, Obliga-
tory turning was introduced into the
COMMON SCHOOLS
of Prussia, and two years later turn schools
for females We're established.
The precipitation Of the Revolution ia
lsiS. resulted in the exile Of many Of the
leading turner's, their emmigrati0n 10
America, and the foundation Of turn so
cietics in Cincinnati and New York, and
later in other cities until now there are
more than 5000 turner's in the United
States, and about 2GO turn societies. Their
watch word is still liberty and education
for all. and am convinced that their in
fluence is for the welfare Of our common
country.
II is at this time patriotic duty TO form
gymnastic schools and athletic clubs, and
by all means at our command stay the
physical degeneration that is destroying
our American manhood and wOmanh0Od.
The colleges are doing their utmost, gym
nasia are being equipped everywhere, and
youths leaving college may now find in
nearly every city a well furnished athletic
club
But what are we doing for the young
children. A few Western schools under
the directly stimulating examples Of the
athletic clubs, have begun TO establish
gymnasia in connection with the regular
instruction Of the school, and paid teachers
of gymnastics have begun 10 be- employed
The primary school should be- the place
where the body is made 10 grow straight;
where all the muscles are exercised proper
ly, and when the young, tender brain is nour-
ished by blood made healthy through active
circulation At the preparatory school the
youth begins his classics. his mathematics
and physics. and why should he not also
begin his physical training at the prepara-
tory. Not only would the results be more
perfect when this commenced, but when
we remember that the majority OF youth do
not enter college at all, we then realize that
unless the primary school be made the
place Of beginning the work is never com
menced.
When one sees sickly, stOOp-shouldered,
knock -kneed feeble children attempting 10
become educated men and women, there is
no longer reason TO wonder at the marvel
lous
INCREASE or OUR INSANE.
This is largely the result Of physical de-
generation, as shown in fiabby muscles, dis
incl nation TO exercise. and unhealthy
blood We wal. no class improvement,
but ye want universal attention 10 physi-
cal training from childhood 10 adult life,
and until the State Governments take up