Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1911-05-03
INTERMEDIATE CLASS
ENJOYS GYM WORK
Y. M. c. A. GYMNASIUM A PoPU-
LAR PLACE THESE DAYS.
Young Fellows in Hard Training for
Athletic Honors.

If the benefit gained by their hour
i'm the gymnasium of the Young
Mems Christian association is to be
judged from the amount of noise made
during the exercise, the intermediate
class is doing better, and getting along
faster toward the acme Of athletic
development than any other class of
the association. Yesterday afternoon
the walls of the building resounded
to the calls of the young fellows as
they romped around the big gym,
throwing balls. playing for the bas-
kets, taking an occasional whirl at
the horizontal bars, and cutting all
sorts of fancy capers on the rings.
The work was not aimless, however.
Working under the direction of a ca
pable instructor, the boys are round
ing into good condition as a result
of their gym stunts, and they realize
the Importance Of regular attendance
at the class meetings.
One little fellow made a gigantic
effort during the afternoon to make
the rounds of the swinging rings. TAX
ing his stand on the springing board,
his abbreviated legs scarcely allowing
him to touch the first ring, he leaped
up and out in a great swing with
arm outstretched for the second ring,
which hung several feet away. He
missed it, His lips closed in a thin
line. and a determined expression COW
cred his face He swung back and
tried again-and missed. This time
his arm was tired and he dropped to
the floor Thoroughly game he tried
again, and the second trial he made
it Although he failed to complete
the circle the young chap covered
good part of the distance, and be-
fore long he viii be able to hold his
own with the older and stronger fell
lows.
With the usual adolescent admira-
ton for the circus, and the feats of
the circus performers. the boys in
variably open up their exercise by at
tempting the most impossible gym
nastic contOrtions. Instead of warm
ing up with the Indian clubs or dumb
bells. or using the chest weights, they
try the giant swing. or some other
equally difficult labor. These maiden
attempts invariably end in failure, but
nON 10 NC ulStpuAdStG AiltA ny III
again." and every failure leaves them
a little nearer the mark.
The officers of the association lay
great stress on the importance of the
boys gaining a good foundation in
early life to support them in building
strong vitality later, and every in
ducement is offered the young men of
the high school to enter the classes
for physical culture. It is not intend
ed that their time in the gymnasium
shall be all work The apparatus of
the room is interesting to both the
young fellows and the more dignified
old ones, who do their work in the
sedate business mans class-although,
if the truth be told, it is not so Sc
date after all. Both the intermediate
and the business mems classes know
how to frolic, and they intersperse
their systematic exercises with plenty
of the sunny diversions that spring up
in the healthy atmosphere of the gym
nasium.
Standing on the horse yesterday
afternoon all ready for some sort of
q high dive into the atmosphere,
youthful gymnast was struck in the
middle of the abdomen by the soft
ball, well directed by some of his
friends, and the grace of the high