San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-05-12
Written for the LIGHT.
PHYSICAL TRAINING.
THE PHYSICAL DEPARTMENT OF
The YOUNG MEMS CHRISTIAN
ASSOCIATION,
And the Work That is Being Done
to Help the Young Men of
Our City in Connection
(. With the Same.

pose we oblige every man to take
a physical examination. Many
persons have asked why we have
so many questions to be answered
and go into such particulars: 1t is
to answer these questions and en-
tighten the general public that the
following is written.
History, personal and family.
1t is quite essential that the whole
matter Of history be taken before
the measurements, as it will guide |
the examiner in his later work,
leading him to allow for NANTES
tations of certain powers or weak
nesses, special debility, and so on.
The sum total of these little things
constitutes the value Of physical
examination.
Birthplace. This refers to the
country or state in which the indi-
vidual was born. AT first sight
this question does not seem impor-
tant with reference to physical
education. There are, however,
several problems on which it may
throw valuable light; for instance,
/. knowing the state in which ones
family has been living for these
generations, the effects of the eli
mate may be evident and interest
ing. These data give the real, not
the nominal nationality of the in.
dividual. Different nationalities
vary markedly in their physical
characteristics, and react some
what differently to different
kinds of exercise.
The occupation Of the father be-
fore the sons birth is the only in
dication that we have of the hered-
itary influence Of different trades
and professions. We are aware
that it takes several generations to
produce the best results in certain
lines; glass blowers cannot be pro-
duced in one generation, it is said.
So any physical power will be
much more readily acquired by
those whose parents were engaged
in work that demanded similar
abilities.
Health OF father and mother
before the sons birth. This gives
opportunity to ascertain the influ-
ence of the immediate physical
condition of the parents on the
physical condition of the child.
Father died at years, of - Ii
the parents are neither Of them
living, both having died Of con-
sumption, one at twenty-four and
the other at twenty-seven, this
must be considered in the treat
ment of the Individual. Many
illustrations of the value OF
knowledge of these facts will occur
to everyone who has had expert
ence. The age Of the parent a
death may give us an indication o
family tendencies toward SOM
special disease at certain age.
Number of brothers and sister
living, number dead, cause Of death
This may seem entirely foreign t
the individual, and one nigh
naturally argue that what hi
brother is doing now did not affec
him at all. This would be trut
but il is not to the point: For tn
cause that affects his brother at tn
present time, il they are due
hereditary influences, may affet
him in the same way. The follow
ing illustration from actual III
shows the Importance OF this:
young man, the only survivor
six children-the other five, t.
gether with the mother, havin
died OF consump tion-has been alb
by careful systematic physic
training, to gain a fine physiqU
with a good amount Of vitality.
this young man had gone into IL
gymnasium and been put throug
the exercises ordinarily given,
would no doubt have found hin
self following the rest OF the fam
ly; but, by means of the knowledj
gained by his physical trainer
the hereditary tendencies OF Il
family, the above results were a
compllshed.
Diseases in family. This refe
to hereditary diseases. A sing
instance of any given disea
would not indicate that the disea
was hereditary. But several i
stances among ones relativ
would render 1t probable that t
disease was hereditary,and, If pos
BILE, exercises should be given c
signed to combat it.
Early life, city or country.
the previous questions nothing
said OF the town in which the
dividual was born. This questi
endeavors primarily to secure
cord of his condition and surrour
ings in early life. Many OF the me
difficult problems in connecti
with physical education today a
those growing out Of the alter
conditions of life, depending up
the removal of such large pc
ton of the population from t
county to the city.
Exercise (past) Work. This
fers, under the two headin
Physical and Mental, to the XII