Omaha daily bee., 1909-12-05
COLUNDIAS OPEN AIR Gym
Glasses on South Field for All Stu
dents Instead of Indoors.
WANTS ADEQUATE PLAYGROUND
First Trial OF the Outdoor work re
gnrded as successful, hut n Great
difficulty L. the Lack OF
Supervisors

the first time this autumn brought out IN It
there is not more than a quarter OF the
room In that enclosure which Is needed
and furthermore that there should be more
men employed qualified to help out the
inexperienced exercisers. These are the
conclusions reached by DR.. George L. Mey-
Ian, professor of physical education at Co
lumbia, after a brief study OF the Work
that the classes accomplished out Of doors.
The plan followed this year marks an
entirely new phase in physical education
at Columbia. II has been discussed for |
some time whether II would be feasible
to have the early part Of the required
gymnasium work done out on South field
instead Of indoors. It was at the earnest
recommendation of James z. Sullivan, the
Amateur Athletic union man, that this was
eventually begun at Columbia. Mr.. Sulll-
van lives on West One Hundred and Four
teenth street, just across the roadway from
the field, and in speeches made at Column
bia and talks with officers and students OF
the place he made known how 1t panied
him to see that big athletic field going all
to waste when It might well be made use
OF for students not necessarily athletes.
Get your men out and let them fool
around In the open air doing things that
the athletes do said Mr.. Sullivan, and
the first thing you know you'u have all
the athletes you want"
Amherst also had engaged in a system
OF outdoor work for the entering classes
and careful, systemized measurements
were made Of all the performances done by
the men upon entrance and also at the
end Of the term outdoors. These things
would be possible at Columbia II there
were a larger corps of workers. Even en-
listing volunteers from the various classes.
1t would not have been possible to write
down a book, after measuring, what the
various gymnasium class student ac-
complished.
For instance. the work required an hour
from each man twice a week. Allowing
ten minutes for dressing and getting from
the gymnasium over to the field and some
time for leaving it afterward the students
got In about forty minutes or perhaps
forty-five minutes. THAI time was used
to give them diverse exercise. II they
started In with javelin throwing there was
later some exercise for the legs, Jumping
or running. 1t was an effort always to
assist IN an equitable development.
Many Are Interested.
me classes were large and divided into
groups. AT one and the same time the
reld had on 1t small squads putting the
shot' hurdiing, broad jumping, sprinting
and throwing the discus, for instance. To
measure the distances covered or to time
the runners would have been possible only
II there were a very large squad of such
measures and timers and IL the groups
measures and firmers and II the groups
track OF what each man did from day to
day and to be prepared at the end of the
season to give an account Of this as well
as making physical examinations at the
start and at the end would. DR.. Meylan
SAID have thrown upon the gymnasium de-
partment a burden which it is incapabIe
Of supporting.
For instance. it takes two weeks to make
the physical examinations that are taken
at the close of each year. Allowing two
weeks at the beginning to examine the
men who are assigned to the outdoor work,
and two weeks again at the end of the out
door season, and then take in besides the
actual number Of hours that the compila-
tion and keeping Of records would require,
would really take up so much time that
the other parts of the gymnasium work
could get no attention at all.
1t is urged, Furthermore, that after the
few weeks of each autumn It would be i'm
possible to show much actual gain, IL any,
In lungs, chest or muscles. The time spent
outdoors probably would show it's results
sometime later, and certainly not so i'm
mediabely. DIR. Meylan says that very
often the whole two years OF gymnasium
work fail to indicate any very great diff
ference.
That is, a student measured when he
enters and also at the end OF the sopho-
more year-the time when the prescribed
gymnasium work ends-does not always
show a great gain In any particular. It
Is commended, then, that measurements at
the end OF a few months would be less
significant as far as physical advance is
concerned. 1t might be possible to show
that A leaped eight inches further In
the broad jump than he did when he en-
tered, or that he covered the hurdles In
two-fifths Of a second faster time, but
these things would be more strictly for
athletic and not gymnastic purposes.
At any event DR.. Meylan's present work.
ing force is inadequate for the handling
OF the statistics in that way. Added to
this is the smallness Of the field. South
Field is great enough to contain a quarter
mile track, but when the interclass foot
ball players. the soccer teams and the
regular track athletes are out, not to
mention the lawn tennis players, who use
the courts that fringe the field, and the
lacrosse men getting their fall practice, the
place is well enough crowded.
What DR.. Meylan wants is a playground.
that is the latest idea among the colleges
and such Of them as have the ground that
may be devoted TO such ends are arranging
for Fairgrounds. Dr.. Meylan's idea is to
have a place where the non-athlete, the
man who wants TO exercise for fun, OF
even the novice athlete, may so to do his
/ little bit. Very often. DR.. Meylan says
there is some man who would like TO try
some OF the things that the regular ath,
/ letes do, but Is deferred by his very In.
experience from going out as a member
Of the regular athletic team. Furthermor,
D If he did he probably would get only Sigh.
attsntion because Of his apparent green
4 ness, and II he did stick TO il all by him.
! self probably would have to unlearn mucl
D after he finally did something to attrac.
; the attention OF the regular athletic coach
Outdoor Work Best.
u The actual outdoor work. Or. MeyIar
I believes, has been a good thing for In.
men. Even II no statistics were prepare,