Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1903-11-10

not do its best work if the body is
sick or feeble. Good health is neces-
sary to intellectual vigor and
continuous thinking
We see the mistake and the evils of
a one-sided development, we begin to
remedy those evils by a culture of the
whole man. Physical training has
become science in all civilized
countries. Our schools are built with
gymnasiums Teachers and students
have new interest and enthusiasm.
All this is good. 1t is the beginning
of movement which has moral and
religious Importance as we'll as a
physical and intellectual value.
Herbert Spencer has said that 'one
of the first conditions of success in
life is to be a good animal One of
the most successful business men said
he owed much to a good digestion. It
is not every kind of work that de-
mands muscular development. 1t is
not often necessary to show how strong
we are or what we are capable of do
ing, but reserve force is necessary
in every life, we should always have a
large fund of energy on which we can
draw in an emergency. Whatever our
work may be we need this abundant
energy. A large element in success
is the ability to work without strain
or exhaustion. We can do this if we
keep the BODY in health and vigor,
this makes work easy and pleasant,
Sickness and weakness are serious
hindrances to intellectual develop
ment and achievement. The body
influences the mind. 1t is not likely
that the sickly youth will get to the
front at school or college, he cannot
bear the strain Of study, he lags
behind, fails and has TO retire from
the field. 1t is also impossible for
in business or in any of the professions.
Health gives an immense advantage
over sickness.
The mind has great power OF con-
centration Of continuous application
when the body is in good health, and
can therefore accomplish greater
results. Those who have distinguished
themselves by some special achieve
ment had an unusual power of
endurance, they could work harder
and longer than others without
fatigue, they knew the secret of
economizing strength and of renew
ing it from day to day. Some who
had poor health in youth and early
manhood have gained health and
strength in physical exercises.
Health is source of ever-fresh
power and endurance. Constant
suffering will weary us. Pain tires
the brain, it turns the attention away
from work and forces it on bodily
weakness, it interferes with our
activities. Unless the man is an
exceptional saint he will grow irritable
under his suffering, spoil his own life
and that of others also.
One of the fundamental principles
of athletics is the harmonious activity
of body and mind. One of the first
lessons we learn in the gymnasium is
that overwork is bad economy, that it
is foolish waste of power, by using
up all the strength it weakens the
digestive functions, there is not
enough vitality left to digest and
aSsimilate the food, the wasted forces
cannot be renewed, disease begins, the
reaction from overwork sets in, the
mans ability lessons, he is not equal
to his task and has to give place to the
stronger man. OVERRIDING is undoing.
This applies to all overwork physical
OR mental. In these times we are all
liable to make this mistake. We are
all in danger of trying to do too much.
The gymnasium helps to counterfeit
that bad tendency, you turn into 1T
from your studies and leave the brain
to rest, you bring other faculties into
play. A change of activity is rest,
that is as important as work. Sleep
ing is as vital as waking. You will
not be Of much use when you are
awake if you have not slept soundly
and long enough to get all your
faculties thoroughly rested. If your
studies interfere with your sleep then
the brain is overWorked and the
sooner you change to different
exercise the better. It will be poor
work you do with tired brain. A
few simple, easy exercises after your
evening studies before you go to bed
will divert the thoughts, circulate the
blood and put you in good condition
for sweet, restoring sleep.
One purpose Of athletics is to
recuperate the wasted energies, any
exercise that does this is profitable
[ go further than that and put it
stronger, it is vital, it is so for many
things. 1t is not simply play, it is
that, and it is good because it is play.
L will speak to you of that another
time. l want to point out now that
the value of health exercises is in the
power of endurance they give, both
physical and mental. 1t has been
said by professor of one of our
l., L, q