The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-04-17

| large ana SlTOHS, DuI Iheh Po"Nh Va
contraction increases, and they
can obey more thoroughly the or
der of the will. 1t has been
observed that two muscles being OF
equal size. the one which is in the habit
of contracting is much stronger than the
one which has remained inactive. Well
directed exercise strengthens the hearts
action, frees it from fat with which it may
be charged, causes it to work more readi-
Ily and tends to lose the excessive excita-
bility so noticeable in a novice in the
gymnasium On the other hand great care
should be exercised not to increase the
hearts action unnecessarily by breathing
through the mouth, talking, laughing and
singing while physical exercise is going
on, as in the run-in-p place exercise While
taking movements which hasten the cir
culation. we should learn to govern our
| breathing apparatus so as to help and not
hinder this wonderful engine of the cir
culation.
There should exist arbond of sympathy
between teachers following this vocation,
which would fill each with a. consciousness
of cooperation in the endeavor to elevate
to perfect manhood and womanhood
| physically, mentally, spiritually and moral
| ", those placed in their care. Shakes
peare makes Hamlet say what a piece
of work is man. how noble in reason. how
infinite in faculty" Thus our calling
should be recognized as one of sacredness
and duty.
\ AS the workman learns from day to
day to use his tools to better advantage,
and in the end makes the best possible use
of them. so it is with the man who ex-
ercises his body. He learns to get more
and better work out of his muscles hv q
series of well directed movements and
systemic course of exercise.
Muscular education leads to economy
Of force" In the gymnasium the educa-
ton of the breathing apparatus is of
prime Importance, as by daily resisting a
reflex movement, at first irresistible be-
comes later amenable to control. If one
can restrain tears, and laughter or stop
a fit of coughing, then by a determined
effort of will power we can strive effec-
tually against an instructive impulse and
an organic need.
Muscular exercise will produce changes
in the brain, an instrument Indispensable
in the performance of voluntary move
ment The working which goes on in the
brain for the purpose of producing muscu-
lar action must influence the mutation
of the brain just as contraction influences
the mutation Of muscle. Hence the ne.
cessty of Introductory movements which
gradually bring the mind from mental to
muscular activity, in this way forming q
bridge, so to speak, between muscularlty
| and mentality.
Physical courage is certainly increased
| by the practice of muscular exercise. 1t
| is usually in the men whose daily work
consists Of manual labor that we see
| bold and energetic action. as the power
which orders the muscle to act and the
stimulus necessary for its contraction is
called the will. This, then. is developed
and strengthened by the constant use
made of it. The person who. in spite of
| inclination for inactivity, even fatigue,
/ forces himself to active muscular eX-
| crcise, is the one who develops the great
est amount OF will power. Work gives no
man greater energy of will considered as
IA motor force. and effects the moral as
well as the physical order of our being,
and produces form of courage which we
call physical courage. The practice of
muscular work and the systematic use
of bodily exercise dispose man to bear
all forms of material danger. At the
same time he develops the power of re-
sisting fatigue and secures strength of
both mind and body.
| I will cite an incident of muscu-
lar control. a development of will power
an establishment of coordination between
mind and muscle. Of moral and physical
courage produced by a course of physical
| training which came under my personal
observation. While suspended in mid-air
clinging to the frame of third story win
/ 70 fIoot
he had jumped out of his bedroom win
dow. No one was near. and he could hold
but a short while Then came into use
the splendid training he had received in
a gymnasium. He brought all his energy
of will power to bear upon the well train
| ed muscles: he measured the distance
from the window with his eye; set his
body in motion, getting momentum sur
ficient to enable him at the right moment
to reach the caves of lower piazza some
two yards to the right, where he man
aged to catch with one foot and arm I'M
! Ill assistance could reach him.
| Climbing ropes, ladders, trapeze work
etc, infuse one with courage to do and
| dare.
| Gymnastics as now carried on at the edu
cational establishments in France. make
a pupil who devotes himself to them,
spend most of his time, in a long appren-
ticeship in true mental work in order to
learn the method of applying, as well as
the direct practical application
| Every living being who has remained in
active for a long time experiences the
need of motion, and this fact alone is
sufficient to prove the hygienic import
ance of muscular exercise We are ask
ed the question, why do you give. exer-
else alike to the lean and fat?'' We know
| that if insufficient exercise can lead to
| the accumulation of certain useless ma
terials within the system, which hinder
| by their accumulation the functions of
the different organs, producing useless fat
then in the IN inactivity induces a
diminuton of The very material necessa-
ry for the production of health, which
Iimpoverish the constitution. Hence, some
| people become too ''fat' from inactivity
while others waste and become thin
through insufficient movement. Lean peo-
pie assimilate too little; fat people do
not assimilate enough. Disease is most
/ frequent among persons OF sedentary
habits. This is caused by an accumula-
Il