The University daily. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 18??-????, 1890-06-09
The New Gymnasium.

- z 50 -
Now that the Board Of Regents
have undertaken the landable work
Of establishing i gymnasium as one
Of the appointments Of the Universe,
ty, we trust they will not stop short
Of making It filst-class inI every par
ticular.
Next to the building itself, the
most important part of the equip
, ment of University gymnasium is
an experienced Director.
Without q scientific and competent
Director a gymnasium will prove Of
little benefit to the students and of
positive injury to manyof them. 1t
would be of little more value thantit
would be to establish d school of APP
Piled Mathematics, or Manual Train
ing without putting d teacher in
charge .b1
The object ofa University gymna-
sinm is MOTTO make professional ath-.
letes, but to correct the physical de-
fects| and develop and keep the body
Y in the best possible condition for the
process Of mental discipline going on
in the academic departments.
The basis of all education is sound
and we'll developed physical organ
ism, and hence the academic and
physical departments ought to be
conducted in harmony with each
other, and intelligence and expert
ence are just ais necessary in the one
as the other. Hence a course oftrain-
ing in the gymnasium has come to be
recognized in many Of our leading
colleges as a part Of the training nee
tessary for degree, Tits put down
as part ofthe curriculum, along side
of the languages, mathematics, meta
physics, etc. Every student on first
entering is sent to the Director
ofthe|gymnasium to be e&a mined with
reference to his. physical condition
just as he is sent to the academic de.
partments to be examined as to his
mental condition. The Director of
the, gymnasium prescribes his course
in athletics just as the professor of
mathematics prescribes his course in
arithmetic and the higher branches
Without such Intelligent director
ship in the gymnasium it will become
SIMPLY a means Of abuse to those
students who need it least and of
neglect to those who need it most.
Whena student enters the Universi-
ty he should be first subjected toza
thorough physical examination by the
Director Of the gymnasium. The size.
and strength of the different parts of
the body should be observed and. a
record made of the examination to-
gether with the kind and degree |of
exercise he should be required to take
in order to strengthen what is weak,
and to. correct any rganic derange-
ment. And this requisition SO pre-
seribed by the Director, should be
made as imperative as any ether part
of the discipline Of. the University
course. "a "a u ! -, ,...s....s,
Evidently it is only D Director pos
sessed of the learning and experien-
&c Of the specialist who would be able
to make such diagnosis as would be
ofany value to the student. Therefore
e say that only a competent Direc-
tor-as competent as an instructor
In any other branch of the Universe
.Ity-should be placed in charge of our
gymnasium. = .5 =
7 "What is worth doing. at all, is
worth doing well,'' is q maxim which
applies with special .fo roe to any part
Of the. equipment of state institu-
ton like this. The state cannot af-
fordto be mean in such matters: The
state is able to- do we'll whatever it
undertakes, and the a e in which we
live will not tolerate a nything in our
educational machinery which is not
first class. s.....#. ! -. ! -. y
The gymnasium will be completed
and ready for use before the Board
Of Regents come together again.
Therefore we hope that this hmpor-
tant matter will receive, attention at.
this sess ion of the Board, and that
along with provision for the equip
ment of the gymnasium, a skilled
Director may be elected and put in
charge, so>that his services may be
had in arranging it as well as in the
future conduct of the institution.
Interesting Letter from West