New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1907-03-06

Rev. Percy Stickney Grant, writing
in recent issue of the North American
Review, says that in twenty years OF
parish work in "a manufacturing town
and metropolis nothing has surprised
him more than the wretched physique
of the poor.
Here, as in the European cities,
height and weight are slightly de-
creasing. Our national guards, a
select body of men, do not come up to
the required standards for warfare.
At the outbreak of the Spanish war
25 per cent of our young men failed
to pass in height and weight, and in
some regiments so per cent failed to
pass.
In the physical examination carried
on in the New York schools by the
board of health it has been found that
66 2-3 per cent of the children need a
PHYSICIANS care. The causes of this
deterioration are overcroWding and
undertaking. A century ago only 3
per cent of our population was urban:
now 40 per cent of our people live in
the cities. With increased density OF
population the death rate naturally
increases. The vitality of the survivors
is often Slapped by chronic diseases.
With the growth of industrialism
the country farms become deserted
and their tenants flock to the cities.
American farmer boys and European
peasants alike breathe the vitiated air
of crowded tenements. The children
of the city poor both at home and
abroad 20 to school without sufficient
food. In England 30 per cent OF the
people are living below the proper
standard of nourishment. In New
York $1,000 children go to school with
but scanty breakfast.
Our author finds that the notable
increase during recent years in the
height and weight of our college youth
is due to physical training. He adj
vises that the summer camps, which
have proven of such benefit to the
children of the rich, be provided for
the poor and made a part of our
school systems and the work of the
fresh air societies.
He complains that the schools which
provide gymnastic training do not
give it enough time and care. He be-
lieves that thorough system of ply
ical education in American schools
would develop in our youth the
strength and health derived in Europe
from military training.
Since 1878 physical training has been
made compulsory in the French schools
and the result has been immense i'm
provement in the French schools. This
system is also followed in Austria,
Italy, Norway, Sweden, Denmark and
Switzerland with like results. The
Round Hill school at Northampton,
Mass, was the first in this country
to combine physical training with
literary study. A century ago there
came to us an enthusiasm for ply.
Biological study which has gone or
increasing ever since.
The training of our military recruits
results in enhanced bodily activity
dexterity, presence of mind and ply
steal endurance. Muscular exercise
develops and clarifies the brain. Oul
author would have the United States
government do for its school children
in this matter of physical training
what it does for its army recruits.
He would have the summer camps
free of cost, compulsory and under
official supervision; also a noon mea
for poor school children. In short
i he would make the development o
sound minds in sound bodies the Ugh
est duty of every commonwealth.
i Petitions, like chickens, come hom
to roost. Sam Peterson now has tn
original Liesch memorial safely tucket
away in his inside vest pocket, read,
at all times to refute those of his con
stituents who might like to say the.