The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-06-04
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS
Soft

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 l don't mean in the upper story.
 But do seek to find out if your mus cies are flabby?
 l 1 want to know if you are physically fit That is, if called upon for active service or home guard duty, can you do i your bit?
 I've prided myself for more than a score of years on keeping in condition . but recently I took a short cut over a | steep hill and found that my breath was coming hard before I got to the top. It gave me a shock and 1 began to wonder haw many of my friends could take five-mile tramp over Red noun tain and back without being winded? l know quite a few golfers, tennis and baseball players might do it without any serious distress, but I daresay many who are confined to clerical work would be completely knocked out
 The Y. M. c. A. and the Birmingham Athletic club are doing good work in making it possible for a number of boys train their muscles and strengthen their staying qualities.
 l have always been an advocate of college athletics because I realized the need of students to build up their bod ies in order to do good mental work.
 Of course, college sports can be over done and have come in for just criticism but when properly supervised they can render real service.
 For years I took an active interest in indoor and outdoor sports. I was one of the charter members of the Athletic club and for several months acted without pay as the director of the physical training department of the Y. M. c. A. when it was housed in the Patten block.
 
 It was a source of great satisfaction to me to be given perfect score when was examined before permitted to use the Yale university gymnasium
 I have always liked outdor sports. Hunted, fished, rode a wheel, played ball and tennis and prided myself on my ability as a walker, jumper and runner, and it is with shame that l find myself physically below par and I'm going to get hard and keep in con- dition.
 I wouldn't write all this personal stuff if it wasn't for the fact that many know me as an athlete, and so it's a confession to warn others that it is mighty easy to get out of condition.
 Whats the use of volunteering for home service if few miles walk will put you out of commission? If you are easily winded, you had better get in trim.
 Oh, yes, gardening will help, but your wife's garden won't put any stamina inbo your backbone or add any strength to your weakness. Better get spade, hoe and a rake and quit bluffing about being a gardener.
 Get out into Gods open doors and fill your anaemic veins with vital life, giv- ing air, so that rich blood can make every nerve jingle with delight because you have become a red -blooded man who joys in being alive
 
 I met my friend, J. o. Van Hoose, the was tanned. His grip vise-like. His eyes bright. His muscles like whip cords. l cite him as worthy example of man who knows the joy of being able to do mans full day of labor.
 Dr. Burr Ferguson used to live out at Mountain Terrace. Burr has always believed in keeping fit. Every Tow and then I used to see him at night in his running garb, making a swing down Claremont avenue into Highland ave- nue.
 I was sorry when Birmingham had to give up the instructors in it's playgrounds and thereby cut down the interest in ath- letics among the school children. If you had children see to it that they get plenty of healthful exercise
 By the way, talking about getting in condition, asyoung college friend of mine who went over to Fort McPherson had 15 pounds of surplus flesh pulled off within 30 days.
 I sat by an officer In Chris place Sat urday He was about 2s years old six feet tall and looked to weigh about 175 pounds. He had frank open face, was as brown as a berry and was credit to Uncle Sam. It did me good to look at him. It increased my confidence in our soldier boys.
 3smt1MM19auu11n
 P. S.-Go to training Get rid of the