Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-12-13
PHYSICNL THINNING

n distinction between physlcaI tram
| ing which aims TO develop the we'll
rounded man, and the athletic con-
test which would make him a spe-
cialist In some particular line, is drawn
/ by United states Senator Borah, OF
Idaho, IN an article In Physical Cul-
ture for December. The Idaho Sexa =
tor, II seems, would put the school
contest" on a wholly different plane
! from that which>is has occupied In the
past. Now that the football season.
with its highly trained elevens and its
less efficient masses Of students on the
crowded sidelnes, Is ended. and while
there is pause for breath before
certain other activities begin, II would
question for discussion
Senator Borah would inaugurate a
system Of awarding prizes thru COM
petitive contests TO individuals, groups,
classes and schools, based upon the
best showing in certain phases OF
physical development He would not
limit these to muscular strength, agil-
~ and endurance alone. however
valuable these may be to the posses
sor, but would also take into consid-
Grafton the lowest percentage of de-
fects OF all sorts and the highest per-
centago Of health IN general. Thus, a
school carrying off the pennant. or
whatever symbols were decided upon,
would posses evidence, not that nine
or eleven, or some other small number
OF It's young men were as strong as
elephants and as agile as gazelles and
as cunning as foxes, but that the en-
tire student body possessed high
average OF such health and strength
such physical perfectlon-as would be
expected to be OF greatest value to
them In the years to come. In theory.
at least 1t is a. splendid plan.
But we are stIll welded. as Ma
tion, to the dual practice OF hero
worship and OF letting others play
our games for us. Except for the few
ones who tried to make
the team" and failed, and the rela-
lively small number OF practice
squads. the college student body as
whole seems quite content to take its
exercise in the form Of cheering and
flag waving. The number of baseball
fans In the country at large Is enor-
nous by comparison with the number
who have thrown n ball since they
were small boys. It Is so with other
sports. Not until the average man
reaches the golf age does he awaken
10 the necessity for taking exercise on
his own account.
ut should be kept constantly be
fore the attention of all the people"
Senator Borah remarks, that the |
whole end and purpose of physical
training and athletics Is to insure the !
proper and healthy. development of
the entire physical system, both body
and brain. II Is not to fit the subject
TO excel in some particular game"
Formerly, before we had developed
college sports and professional, ball
and prize-fighting,, this was widely
recognized. The neighborhood horse !
shoe pitching contest had real bear |
Ing upon the health and strength OF |
the community But now, as has been !
said, only the minority are physically |
trained, and these receive only spe-
rial unbalanced sort OF training that
does not go far toward raising the !
standard OF all-around perfection.
The proposed program OF national |
physical education, which tentatively |
adapts the principle OF the baby |
show OF the present, and extends II
to adults, has the practical merit that
It. would supplement- rather than su-
persede, the vlcarious exercise which |
We are accustomed TO take Nothing |
so revolutionary as abolishmcnt OF |
college sports or professional baseball !
Is contemplated. But our recent ex-
perlence IN raising an army has shown |
us that ms people we need to give |
more attention TO our physical status. |
The competitive method which Sena-
tor Borah suggests might not only !
help us in setting n standard for the
perfect man, but do us n lot of indi-
vidual good In the process.
01w YORK or THE SOUTHWEST