Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1912-08-08
PHYSICAL DIRECTOR PEARSON WRITES INTERESTINGLY OF
 THE NEW ART.
Says Boxing Has Been Brought to the Mire-PrOmises Good Pro-
 gram Friday Night.

Slcal Vlgor and endurance; but lack of time has delayed. After seven weeks course in the practice of the art, we are glad to announce that we shall put on exhibition Friday night of this week, bunch of ten young men who have gained a pretty fair knowledge of the art, and if we are not badly disappointed will perform some holds and breaks that will sur prise the Pine Bluff people, and win them as admirers of the manly sport
 Wrestling is one of the oldest arts in the category of physical training. It was thro the use of this exercise that the ancient Greeks gained much sf tAeir physical excellence, and about which their poets wrote some of their
 nest inspiring descriptions, many of
 Nll>a ave 'iecome classic.
 Although it is an exercise which
 ee1o.'s three of the four cardinal physical qualities viz strength, agil- ity, and endurance; and four import ant physical qualities, viz alertness, perception, quickness and co-ordina- dination; yet it is comparatively free from dangerous results. In this re- gard it does not approach football, nor yet so dangerous as basketball as 1t is often played. As producer of finest results with least hazard, wrestling stands in class by itself. Certainly, the punishment witnessed in it sometimes felt to be too severe by some fond mother or sweetheart, but should not mere sentiment yield. that greater capacity and efficiency may be gained.
 Then too, wrestling seems to be about the most natural means of ex- erclse. This is seen in the play of the young of the canine species of animals and which represent the king of beasts and in fact in nearly all the mammalia family. Nothing seems closer kin to a boy as soon as he is able to grasp something, than to get hold of another boy eff one is ill sight, and if not, his dad will dol and go to wrestling.
 This is natures opportunity. so modern scientists are teaching for this young animal to develop his skeletal muscles and is direct re- sponse to the call of nature for exer- else which shall consequently render service in the health and growth of the large centers of the nervous sys- tenn distributed along the spinal col umn, upon which depends the ability of the man or woman, to stand the strain of the increasing nervous ten- slty consequent upon modern condi- tlons. Briefly it may be said that a good wrestler should be the better able to endure the scolding wife, or the taunts of his fellows; as also the unrelenting pressure of business or worry. It is not eXtravagant to say that many suicides have been avoided because there was good set of nerves and muscle in reserve.
 Another admirable feature of wrestling is the fact that bad temper is rarely if ever displayed. Tn this it is distinctly different from boxing. Boxing is good exerciser, but not a good tempeoriser. This, however, can be, but is not so likely to be kept under proper control. Boxing has never been used at all so far, by the local Y. M. c A. although in many associations it forms one of the most attractive features ill the physical department, but it is used simply as exercise. Of course it is the best things that are counterfeited, and it is deplorable to say the least, that for twenty-five years our country has been inflicted with series of com bats, the last of which had to come on our "Glorious Fourth,'' that is re- prOach to civilized nation and un- worthy the name of human contest. Following such scenes as this, comes to our own door spectacles of youth, colored according to the colors in the prize ring, engaged in knock out, as did here in our own beloved city a few night since, and we too, have our blood-thirsty population, who so un- thoughtedly are willing to abet and such brutality by their presence and money sometimes. The injury to better social order, of such contests as this is, is beyond com outa- tion. Greed for gold and inordinated desire to see the human machine in action under improper circumstances and an insatiate desire to see blood spout, are the principal reasons for such occurrences as this; and the ex- lstence of such passion is proof