The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-12-16
BOYS WORKING FOR
ATHLETIC PRIZES
Physical Directors and In
struct0rs in Colleges Have
New Scheme.
WOULD ENC0URAE
LINE OF TRAINING
System of Buttons and Medals
Adopted to Reward Youth
full Athletics.
Tribune Special Sporting Service.

tribune Speclol sporting service
NEW YORK. Dec. 1.-THE, physical
directors and instructors In schools and
colleges have given and are giving con-
siderable thought as TO how best 10 de-
velop all the physical faculties of boys
and men, and how 10 encourage their
pupils to follow the line of training
necessary TO that development.
Dr. Henry s, Petit of the Adelphi col
physical directors have 10 face them but
now, by persuasion and rewards, he has
come near TO solving the problemS-at
least, 10 some extent. HIS desire, and
the desire OF oil school men, is that ey-
cry pupil and student should wish TO
develop Drawn. which has so great an
effect on the development OF brain.
In Adelphi academy the practice pre-
vailed. until few years ago. of fore
ing every male pupil 10 engage in ath-
letic eXerclces. Many boys, however,
aged them. preferring. they said. that
their sons should take their exercises In
the open air-it was so much better,
they claimed, than the air of the gym
nasium. Those boys were the ones who
most needed skilled training. II was.
therefore, decided TO try another plan.
and TO appeal TO the boys ef-esteem.
This plan has worked well, but sim some
boys refuse TO accept instructions and
10 submit TO the discipline required OF
those who would be proficient in gen
eral athletics.
DR. Pettits plan is 10 develop the whole
body. He does not believe in producing
specialists in running or jumping put
ting the shot. His purpose is TO encour
age the boys 10 become all-around ath-
letes AS an incentive the trustees have
furnished buttons and medals for four
classes OF exercises. DR.. Petit has pre-
pared a schedule, carefully thought out
which every boy must follow and COM
plete TO win recognition and the re-
wards.
Thus the bronze button class must be
able TO dip FIVE times on the parallel
bars chin the bar Ave times, put the
shot 20 feet. high jump, feet. fence
vault. feet > Inches; mat, cartwheel.
horizontal bars, knee circle, parallel bars.
dip and straddlc across bars; rings, one
leg cut and catch; pole vault, feet.
The bronze medal class is next, the
silver medal class third. and the gold
medal class is fourth. In this last
named class boy must dip 20 times,
chin the bar 20 times. put the shot 81
feet; on high jump, feet; fence vault
feet 10 inches: do q back somersault
| on the mat horizontal half giant swing.
! on the rings. swing and pull 20 rest
both sides; pole vault. feet 6 Inches.
The boys who are working for the but
| tons and medals have increased In num-
her. and the silver medal VIII be won
! by az least one. The bronze medal hold
ers have increased from one last year
| TO seven this. and so on. There Is
| great rivalry. and each boy tries TO outdo
| the other. The plan has worked salts
| factorily so far. and The result Is seen
| In the better pose OF the pupils. They
are strong agile. sBillful. and can en-
| cure a large amount OF work This rs
| certain To be beneficial In their man
| hood when they go into the world. which
! is the purpose OF all athletics FOR boys