St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-04-11
German Gymnastics Wit
messed by Members Of the
School Board
With a View TO Introducing
Calisthenics in the Pub
lie Schools.
Glasses in the Germania Turn.
verein Show Perfect
Training. =
Supt. Gilbert and Inspector
Stamm Express Their
Pleasure.

Goodnatured girls and bright boys.
opened the exhibition given by the Ger
mania Turnverein at Turner hall last
evening. Husky yoang men and good
looking young women closed the heavier
gymnaStic numbers of the exhibition.
Then followed the dance, in which it
seemed as though nearly all, young and
old, Joined with gladstone glee. The
calisthenics of the exhibition were adj
mirably performed by the young folks,
under the mastery direction OF their
teacher, Prof. C.. julius Hermann.
While the boys classes did excellent
work, the girls had the greatest ease
and precision in executing the different
movements to the lively music of the
orchestra. They handled the dumb
bells and Indian clubs as we'll as the
boys, and showed skill and agility in,
climbing the long poles from the stage
up into the wings. The perform
ances of the older classes on the
horizontal bars and at fencing, high
jumping and dancing were very well
done Throughout the entertainment
the classes received numerous hearty
bursts of applause from the audience,
which. in numbers, filled even the gal
lery of the theater. When, on the ap-
pearance of the young ladies' class, they
presented Prof. Hermann with an ele-
CANT bouquet of red and white roses,
the applause was very enthusiastic and
indicated the high favor in which the
Instructor is held by his scholars and
their parents and friends. The classes
were neatly uniformed. and their MEM
berS bore the evidences Of careful physl-
cal culture.
DR.. G0tfried Stamm. who, as mem
Der of the board of education, observed
the exhibition with especial interest III
view of the proposition to introduce
calisthenics and gymnastics in the pub
lie schools, said that the per-
formers last night gave evidence
of splendid development and proper
methods of training that bring into
action every muscle of the body. Much
depends upon the training" said the
doctor, "for some scholars might easily
be overtaxed instead of receiving proper
development"
Superintendent of Schools Gilbert,
who was also present, observed the. CAL
isthenicS with greatest interest. He is
thorough gymnaSt, and at one time
was. an instructor of cali5thenics.s He
expressed himself very favorably con-
corning the exhibition, and said that
calisthenics can now be introduced
easily in the city schools by properly
training the teachers in the exercises.
He suggested that the high school
gymnasium. which is large and
partially equipped with appar atus,
could readily be utilized for training the
muscles and at light expense, and said
that the obstacle i'll the way of such
training in the schools is the lack of
proper funds. -
More than a hundred young people
appeared upon the Turner hall stage at
last nights exhibition, and most of them
represented well-known citizens. espe-
cally among the German element. Some
of the elder performers are prominent
in business and professional life, and
they went through the difficult exercises
grac efulIy and apparently with ease.