New-York tribune., 1901-04-19
ON PHYSICAL TRAINING.
RIFNNIAL MEETING OF THE AMERICAN
ASSOCIATION FOR ITS AD-
VANCEMENT.

Delegates from State societies and individual
members gathered In goodIy numbers at the bien-
NAL meeting OF the American Association for the
Advancement Of Physical Education. yesterday. at
the assembly hall Of the Board Of Education. Fif-
ty-ninth-st and Park-ave. DR. Dudley A. Sargent
Of Harvard president Of the association, opened
the session and introduced Miles NJ OBrien, presi
dent o. the Board OF Education, who welcomed the
delegates 10 the CITY. He said that NewYork was
greatly interested in physical education. and fully
equal TO the best in providing for ii according to
modern ideals and would improve in the future
DIR Sargent IN response. sketched the progress
in schools in this direction during the last twenty
five years. He cited statistics showing that in
nearly all educational institutions physical exer-
cises are among the prescribed courses OF STUDY.
He then spoke on 1.-The Ideals OF Physical Train
ing" and deplored the tendency TO professionalism
in college athletics, which loses sight of what
should be the object-that is. the attainment or
sound physical development-and has degenerated
into mere rivalry. The problem now perore conese
faculties in Dr. Sargent's opinion, is to eliminate
the evil and preserve the good in athletic pursuits
."The rivalry is now so fierce" the speaker as
serted that there is danger that the amicable re-
latons which ought to exist shall be overstrained
TO the great injury Of all colleges The teams OF
university forgetting that those OF the oher
may be Just as good fellows as themselves ana
are ascribing all kinds of unworthy characteristcs
10 those whom they regard enemies.
Dr. Sargent recommended strongly the estaohsh-
OF international college contests, saying thal
rivalry between nations is natural and not harh-
ful. but between cities schools or common
country such rivalry becomes source OF danger,
tending to promote sectional feeling. He affirmed
that In the present system OF college athieucs inc
spectacle of fair deyotees Of basketball Missing the
other side Of athletes trying to knock each other
out Of football players throwing dirt In the eyes
OF their opponents, is suggestive OF return u 'e
savage traits OF ancestors.
THE ideal of physical culture" he said, rs not
the production Of a runner, a gynnast. footpai
player but an all around man, with fitness Tor
work. for pleasure. for everything that ne may DE
called upon TO do IN maturer lifa
Officers were then elected for the convention, and
Dr. Luther Gulick OF Pratt Institute. was chosen
as chairman. DR.. J. Blake Hyer as vice-chair-
man. DR.. Ba bbitt as secretary and Miss Thayer as
assistant secretary.
In the afternoon session the convention was d.
vided into two parts, the Section on Colleges ana
Secondary Schools meeting the fourth hoor. ana
the Section on Elementary Schools in the assembly
hall In the latter section. Of which Miss Jessie n
Bancroft director of physical training In me pup,
nc schools of Brooklyn. was chairman at.ei.aio 9
vas directed the need for improved furnitEre EM ~ III
Dean OF the School of Pedagogy, New ORR -. oi, u.
sersity. showed the improvements mace by MN ~ II.
sshairs and desks and Miss Ada f. Ihagerit ,yter o.
aa.an OF the Womans Department, ohiseis ses "a o
desks for school children. DR.. Mosher thinks that
many cases Of permanent deformity are causeu ~
G be present styles Of school furniture ana @ na
sne sa regards a greatly improved model was GA
inlten and explained. -,
~. IN the Section Colleges papers were req Mc FL
University, Montreal Canada, and others on the tne
pnce ana value OF physical training IN scno0,s Si
son. of Hartford ELECTED some discussion, particn.
ryy y in regard to his recommendation tnat hysi lse
"a exercise Mr. Thomson OF the Carlisle lndlaI
ssccnooI supported Dr. Simpsons view: saving ina.