The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1898-06-25
BUILDING UP SOLDIERS.
Physical Training for the Men IN No
Longer IA Fnd-GOod Re-
suits That Follow.


1t is the generally accepted opinion in
the army to-day that there is nothing
which deserves more close attention or
which pays "a larger interest in bene-
fetal results than the physical training
of the individual soldier. Not that the
subject was ever less important than it
is to-day, but it has been only Within
the last few years that the army, with
drawn from small and isolated posts
and concentrated in great measure
into large garrisons with gymnasium
| facilities, has been able to devote to this
subject the careful and systematic at
tention it deserved.
Marshal SAKE sounded the keynote
when he said "the secret of success in
war lies in the legs of the soldier" And
it might be added further that not only
to the legs of the soldier should the
commander look for success, but in the
arms, the back, the lungs, in fact, the
entire physical organism; for the en-
durance or lack of endurance of all of
these may mean the difference between
victory and defeat. All other things
being equal, that army which can cover
the greatest distance in the least time
and with the least fatigue-that army
which can stand sleepless nights and
tiresome marches with poor food and
poorer comforts, and still be in good
| physical condition, has its battles half
won before the first shot is fired.
The only principle of strategy or tao
! tics that old Gen. Forrest, the confed-
crate cavalryman, ever pretended to
know was that of getting the most
men there first" And after all the vol
umes that have been written on these
subjects have been simmered down and
dgested, the whole thing narrows
down to pretty nearly that principle.
The problem then is how to get the
most men there first" and not have
them exhausted when they do arrive.
The only natural solution is, by uni
form and systematic physical training,
to render their bodies almost insus-
ceptible to fatigue.
This system of progressive instruc-
ton in physical training is carried on
throughout the entire army. Several
manuals have been prepared, principals
! ly by Mr.. Koehler, instructor in gym
nastics at West Point, and by Lieut..
Butts of the Fifth infantry. An officer
who has special aptitude for the work
is put in charge of the course of instruc-
ton at each post, and together with
his assistants takes active part with
the men in all the exercises. Drill halls
or gymnasiums have been provided at a
number of the larger posts.
The system begins with exercises of
the mildest nature, such as calisthenics
without apparatus of any kind. From
these, dumb-bells, Indian clubs, bar
bells, medicine balls, running, ETC., are
taken up. When sufficient time has
been devoted to the milder forms the
training proceeds to practice in vault
ing, jumping, running fully armed and
equipped, escalading and finally exer-
cises on the various gymnastic appa-
ratus.
Though the rate of advancement may
sometimes seem slow and tedious to
those men who show special aptitude
for athletics, they can put in as much
extra time as they desire in the gym
nasium. The system is not devised for
the making of few highly finished
athletes, but for the training of the
whole mass to as great degree of pro-
fieiency as possible, just as chain
should be made strong, not by welding
a few of its links to unusual thickness,
but by distributing the metal as even
| ly as possible throughout its entire
length.
After the course has been well en-
tered upon field days are held at the
various posts, prizes of no small value
being given to the winners of events.
In some instances also athletic con-
tests between teams from different
posts have taken place. The plan even
of forming an athletic association COM
posed of all the regiments of the army
with grand annual contest at some
central locality has been seriously dis
cussed and is not among the impossi
bilities in the near future.
In Lieut.. Butts manual there is de-
scribed very pretty system of using
the rife in calisthenic work. There are
a number of exercises calling into play
all the muscles of the body, not only
sldllfully but in a manner very pleasing
to the eye.
Facilities for gymnastic work are be-
ing increased and improved as rapidly
as possible at every post in the army.
Anyone interested in the work cannot
but recognize the fact that such exer-
cises not only build up the the consti-
tutions of the soldiers and render them
insensible to fatigue, but by presenting
a free and interesting diversion from
the monotony of post life are powerful
factors in keeping the men from vast
ing their time in useless and possibly
harmful amusements.
Verify, instead of being a passing
fad, the system of physical training in
the army has decidedly come TO stay
Illustrated American.
impossible Task.
The fortune-teller excused herself for