Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1905-04-13


held at La Plata, Nd, Sept. 10, OF.
lBy Request.
Know ye not that your body is tenn
pie Of the Holy Sprit?-1 COr-6-19.
Il is needless to speak Of the necessity
oradvantage ofphysical training. Every
body must admit that Il strong, healthy,
well developed and graceful body is
something TO be desired. The question
Is, ''In what way can this result best
be brought about?'
The first and most important step in
physical training is the adoption ofeloth-
ing In which the body can move about
with perfect ease and grace. 1t il not
necessary to wear special gymnasgie
dress. but all dresses should be SO made
as to allow fun and unrestricted move
ments Of the body.
The next step is the recognition OF, and
obedience TO, the general laws Of physi-
OlOgy and hygiene as regards good air,
good food and cleanliness. But these re-
quirements which have been mentioned
are not sufficient for the full and proper
development Of the body.
Physical exercise is the third and last
requirement. We would speak first of
the advantage of outdoor exercise, such
as walking, running, swimming, rowing,
cycling, horseback riding, baseball, ten
mis-, etc. Open exercise in the open air not
only develop the muscles, but there is a
certain exhileration which comes from
such exercise that indoor exercise does
not possess. But athletic spirits cannot
be at all times INDUCED in nor do they
develop all parts of the body harmoni-
Ously.
A system Of physical exercise, based
upon principles OF anatomy and physi-
Ology, is what is needed. This need is
fully met by the Swedish and Delsarte
System of Physical Training. Thesesys-
TENS, although radically different, can
be practiced side by side with the most
beneficial results.
The Swedish System is theinvention of
Swede, DIR. Ling, and with improve
ments from time to time has been in use
in public schools OF Sweden for nearly an
hundred years. 1t is interesting to note
that travellers on visiting Sweden are i'm
mediately impressed into the erect car
raige and the unusually fine physical
development OF the Swedes.
Dr. Hartwell, formally of John Hop
kins University is perhaps considered the
the best authority ON Physical training of
any one iH our country. lie has made
special study Of the Swedish system, as
well as of all other systems of gymnas-
tics, and has given it his most hearty ap-
prOval. DIR Hartwell superintended the
teaching OF the Swedish gymnastics in all
the public schools of Boston as best
adapted to the needs of the pupils.
Bgron Posse, a Swede, and one of the
first expOnents of the Swedish system of
gymnastics in this country, is the author
of the only available manual ON the SUBJ
ject. Baron Posse has in Boston large
gymnasium where he is constantly fit
ting teachers to be competent instructors
OF the system. The Swedish system of
gymnastics is taught in ''Bryn Maur
school and "WOman's College, Balti-
more.
The Swedish or as it il often called the
Ling System" is thoroughly scientific,
being based on comprehensive knowl-
edge Of anatomy, physiology and hy-
giene, is designed To make pupils strong,
well-develOped and healthy, rather than
train athletes or to furnish pretty sets of
exercises merely for exhibitions.
In the gymnasiums where the Swedish
systems are taught in addition to the free
standing exercise, "a simple apparatus is
used, as it affords more variety and
more recreation. But the apparatus of
a gymnasium is not absolutely necessary,
az the system has been most admirably
adopted to public school use by using
the desks as apparatus in some of the
exercises.
The great advantage of the Swedish
over all other systems of gymnastics, il
that the exercises follow one another &C.
cording to distinct and sensible reasons
given for REINFORCEMENT. Not only do
the exercises follow one another syste-
matically in each days lesson, but from
lesson to lesson, from week to week, the
movements progress from the very gen.
tliest or simplest, step by step, to. the
stronger and more complicated ones.
Experience has proven that tifsome order
is followed in each days lesson, the exer-
else can gradually be made more power
full, more complicated and more advanced
without danger of over exertion or other
injurious results.
Practical investigation hasshown that
to attain this object the following order
is best:
1 Introductory Exercises.
2 Trunk Rotation.
3 Arm Stretching (Heaving Move
ments.)
4 Trunk backward and forward bend
ing (Arch-fexion.)
Balancing Movements.
8 Arm-finging (Shoulder.blade move.
ments.)
z Abdominal Exercises.
sTrunk side-wise bending Nateral
Trunk Movement.)
dumping and Hopping.
10 Slow leg-movement.