The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-06-19

urged by Jefferson. Franklin, DR.. Ben
Jamin Rush and other early patriots. In
those days the education Of the body was
generally along the line Of military drlli-
ing. The first educational institution 10
introduce gymnastics as part OF the resu-
lar instruction was Round Hill school az
Northampton, Mass New YORK nlgh
school followed in 1S25 Harvard, yale,
Brown and Williams were among ne plO-
neers in the movement At first the ex-
erclses were too violent. This led 10
reaction in which manual training was
substituted, but it proved unsatisfactory
since then various systems. inciudiI>
many worthless and some harmful fads,
have had their vogue.
Important events in the history Of
American athletics we're the organization
OF the first boat club, the KnickerbOcker
OF New York. in 1923: the first baseball
club in the same city in 1915; the first
all around athletic club. the New York
in 1858, and the Introduction Of the bl-
cycle IN the same year, and OF lawn ten
MS IN 1874. The first Y. NJ. 6. A. gym
nasium was opened in New York in 1862
In the late '70s and early SOS gymnasiums
began to spring Up everywhere and now
there are probably 1900 Of them in Amer
lca. including a number of municipal
Symnasiums. the first of which was es-
tablished in Boston in 1889. Amherst was
the first college to make physical edu-
cation compulsory.
Millions of people are either practicing
gymnastics or very much interested in
the subject. So great is the popular de-
mand for knowledge that the Turner'S
started course Of instruction for teach
ers In New York as early as 1850, and in
1874 they established a large physical
culture normal school at Milwaukee. The
I. NJ. c. A. opened a training school
Ior physical instructors at Springfield IN
1887. and there are gymnaStic normal
schools at New York, Boston, Chau-
tauqua and other places In the Amerl-
can klndergarteEs, primary schools, high
schools, colleges and universities, the
training of the body keeps pace with the
mental and moral education of the chill
dren and the young men and women of
the nation. The Swedish system of drill
ing with wands was first introduced into
the public schools of Boston in 1890 About
five years earlier the schools of Cincin-
natl, Kansas City. Chicago and St. Louis
adopted the German system.
striking illustration Of what gymnas-
tics can accomplish among the young is
furnished by the Athletic league of the
New York public schools, established in
1893, of which Mr.. Roosevelt is honorary
vice president The teachers, finding
many OF their 100000 pupils unTuly, the
athletic league idea was suggested TO help
them, and was carried out with the as
sistanCe of funds furnished by Carnegie,
Morgan and other prominent people. A
system OF prizes and honor buttons was
estab lished- the rule beng that no boy or
girl could compete who failed to do well
in the classroom. The scheme worked
like magic Teachers are said to have
little trouble now; cigarette smoking Is
a thing of the past, and the children are
much improved generally. There are
frequent baseball games, races, shooting
matches. dances and other physical con-
tests, go such meetings having been held
last year The movement has led TO the
establishment of four municipal athletic
fields at a cost of 100000.
Thousands of men and women, includ-
ing the aged, are in physical training al
H.
homes. The United States army and
navy have become a legion of trained
athletes, whose officers and men enjoy
an occasional fifty-mile walk or ninety
mile hOrebaCk ride. Among the good re-
suits of physical training are the in
creased height and weight Of college stu
dents, better health among women and
children, and less sickness and longer
life in all classes.
At institutions for the blind in Ken
lucky, Wisconsin. Ohio and Virginia the
pupils have been taught to play baseball
and football. organize track teams and
engage in many outdoor pastimes, all of
which IS said TO increase their self-COn-
fidence- One Of the latest things in the
field Of American gymnastics is the use
of oxygen by athletes desiring speedily
to recuperate from their exertions. The
widespread physical education of Amer
lea, in some cases combined with hered-
ity and other causes, has enabled the
athletes Of the New World to carry off
the laurels al the international Olympic
games at Athens, Paris, st. Louis and
London.
The world is now convinced that a
sound body is necessary to secure the
highest mental and moral development of
the human race. While Il is probably
not desirable to have return of the re-
Hgious athletics which characterized the
ancient Greek Olympics and the Indian
chose dances there is undoubtedly room
for improving American gymnastics bv
some features of business and
drudgery and encouraging the idea Of
sport for sports sake.
Copyright, 1903. by Frederic J. Haskfn)
Tomorrow. Fight to Tax Incomes"