Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-23
WINNING THE
BOYS TO HEALTH
How Exercise in the Gymnasium
Has Been Made
Popular.
Medals and Buttons Awarded
to Varying Degrees of
Efficiency.

NEW YORK, December 22-The physical
directors and instructors in schools and COL
leges are giving considerable thought as to
how best to develop all the physical facul-
ties of boys and men, and how to encourage
their pupils to follow the line of training
necessary to that development
DR.. Henry S. Petit of the Adelphi College
and Academy faced difficulties as all phys
ical directors have to face them, but now,
by persuasion and rewards, he has come
near to solving the problems-at least to
some extent. His desire and the desire of
all school men is that every pupil and stu
dent should wish to develop Drawn, which
has so great an effect on the development
of brain.
In Adelph Academy the practice pre-
vailed, until a few years ago, of forcing
every male pupil to engage in athletic ex-
ercises. Many boys however, shirked it,
and their parents encouraged them. prefer
ring, they said, that their sons should take
their exercise in the open ART was so
much better. they claimed. than the air of
the gymnasium. Those boys were the ones
who most needed skilled training. 1t was,
therefore. decided to try another plan, and
to appeal to the boys self-esteem This
plan has worked well, but still some boys
refuse to accept instructions and to submit
to the discipline required of those who
would be proficient in general athletics.
DR.. Pettit's plan is to develop the whole
body. He does not believe producing spe-
cia1ists in running or jumping putting the
shot. His purpose is to encourage the boys
to become all-around athletes. AS an incen-
tive the trustees have furnished buttons and
medals for four classes of exercises Dr.
Petit has prepared a schedule, carefully
thought out. which every boy must follow
and complete to win recognition and the
rewards.
Thus the bronzc-button class must be able
to dip five times on the parallel bars, chin
the bar five times, put the shot 20 feet high
jump feet, fence vault feet 3 inches, mat
cartwheel horizontal bars knee circle; par
allel bars. dip and stradde across bars;
rings, one leg cut and catch, pole vault 6
feet.
The bronze medal class is next the silver
medal class third, and the gold medal class
Is fourth In this last-named class a boy
must dip twenty times, chin the bar twenty
times, put the shot 81 feet, on high jump 8
feet, fence vault 5 feet 10 inches, do back
somersault on the mat, horizontal half
giant swing, on parallel bars swing to hand
stand, on the rings swing and pull to rest
both sides. pole vault. feet inches.
The boys who are working for the buttons
and medals have increased in number and
the silver medal will be won by at least
one. The bronze medal holders have in
creased from one last year to seven this,
and So on. There is great rivalry, and each
boy tries to Guido the other. The plan has
worked satisfactorily thus far. and the re-
suit IS seen In the better poise of the pupils.
dure a large amount of work This is GER
tain to be beneficial In their manhood
when they go into the world, which is the
purpose of all athletics for boys.