The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1906-11-08
THE BOW AND ARROW.
Archery Is Recreation of Great Phys
ical Value.

In the choice of a mans recrea-
lion one should choose that which
not only gives him sufficient mus
,ular exercise and full respiration,
but which will give him also as
.arge an amount of pleasure as pos
ible, for the pleasurableness of an
exercise is one test of its value.
During his period of recreation a
mans care and worry should be
completely submerged by the gush
Of youthful enthusiasm. Only IN
der these conditions does physical
exercise yield even its full physical
value. But there should be more
than the physical consideration en-
tering into the matter of recreation.
Ones recreation should possess
something of an artistic and aes-
ghetto value. 1t should be of such
/ nature that through participating
in it and through love for it one Will
become a more cultured gentleman.
All of these requirements are
Ideally met in the most historic of
games, archery. As to muscular ex-
ercise and respiration archery is
fully adequate, and especially so be-
cause it can be followed to old age.
As the muscles strengthen the bow
can be adjusted to the increasing
strength. As old age approaches
and the muscles begin to tire under
the arduous work of the younger
man the bow can again be fitted to
the man, while the muscles them
selves and the eye need not lose
their cunning. Indeed, it is a note
worthy fact that many of the lead
ing archers of all times have been
men of advanced years. In fact,
the fascination of the long bow
seems to grow stronger in the faith
full archer as his years advance, even
as Robin Hood, through the lattice
of his chamber, shot his last arrow
to mark the spot of his grave.
But to Illustrate the nature of the
physical exercise which is involved
in the pursuit of archery it might
be said that in shooting a single
York round, which is seventy-two
arrows at 100 yards, forty-eight ar
rows at eighty yards and twenty
four arrows at sixty yards, the arch
er must walk 1850 yards if he uses
two targets and twice that if he
has only one target. If he uses a
bow which pulls forty-five pounds,
which is the ordinary weight for
men, he has drawn in all 6,480
pounds. This work has been done
by direct pull across the chest, an
exercise which puts all the muscles
of the back and shoulders in most
perfect tonus and forces the most
perfect respiration. In fact, no
form of exercise could surpass arch
cry for the purpose of Strengthening
up stopped shoulders and expanding
the collapsed chest and lungs. Moth
ing can take the place of archery
for the man who is confined over a
desk in his daily work
But there are other important
features of archery from the pure
ly physical point of view. To make
a successful shot with the bow one
must bring every muscle of the
body under most perfect control
and into most perfect coordination
with the eye. This factor itself is
of important educational signif-
cance-the factor of self control at
q trying moment. When the bow |
is full drawn every muscle must be |
in the highest tension, the body in !
absolute equilibrium, the bow held |
as if in a wise and the point of the /
arrow on the mark. Then the string 1
must bound from the fingers with ,
out a waver or jerk. These are only /
some Of the elements Of archery,
and there is a lifetime of study in .
them.-Dr. George E. Coghill in .
Dooroo+iOr