The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-12-17
SHOWING
Of PHYSICAL WORK
At the ny" Gym Saturday Evening
public School Pupils Gave Their
First Exhibition Of Physi-
cal Training.
HEALTH MAIN OBJECT
All Departments Of the School TOOK
Part Except one-it Wa a
creditable Exhibition
Throughout
HEALTH MAIN OBJECT

dEO. WkACh
sidered hat the mind of the child
mix needed training and develop
ment. They thought that a boy o,
a girl who had been properly drliieo
in hook education was lifted 10 paltie
with the world.
In recent years educators began 10
realize that there were TOO many
children in school,, especially
well advanced, who were greatly
lacking in vitality-anemics and
weakIings. These have but q poor
chance to meet the competition OF
robust youth in the race OF NE.
Then a change came e ne splr1t
of pedagogy, and now 1t Is CONSIDERED
as important to develop the cnllds
body as his mind. as there cannot
be great vigor Of mind wltnout q
healthy body.
In line with progressive education.
the Keokuk school board adopted
physical training as part OF the
course of instruction, which was be-
gun last September, with the pres
ent school year. w. E. Turner is the
physical director, and Miss EVA
Kunzman lis assistant. The work IN
the grades Is done largely by the
teachers of those departments under
the directions of Mr.. Turner and
Miss Kunzman.
To show the progress OF the work
being done in this direction, an exnl-
bition was given Saturday evening
at the "Y" gymnasium. 1t was the
first one of its kind ever gwen mere,
and all the grades, except the second
which was decimated by
took part, and the high school as
well. Both teachers also had a part
in the exercises. There was a very
large attendance of spectators pres
emf The exercises are described
briefly below:
First grade-Exercises were d.
yided into two parts, THE Dance OF
Greeting and Round and Round the
Village" For little tots they per-
formed their parts nicely.
Third grade = First exercise,
Mountain March" second, "Blek-
ink" The clicking" looked much
like some of the changes of the old-
fashioned square dances" The little
folks looked cute in making the
many changes which they did with
out errors.
Fourth grade-This division played
stunts like the old, old game of
dropping the handkerchief" They
managed to u owe the smooth floor
with only q lew CumDieS.
Fifth grade-These pupils gave a
very pretty exercise entitled, Reap
ing the Flag" They performed the
motions of gathering fax before the
advent OF machinery for this pur-
pose. Their team work in this exer-
Use and the variations was excellent.
Sixth grade-This grade was given
a lesson in gymnastics, and they
wen through a great variety at
movements of the arms and legs sys-
tematically and in unison. The end
In view Of these exercises Is to bring
into action many muscles OF the
body.
Seventh grade-They performed in
calisthenics, which were exercises
more complicated than those given
by the sixth grade, as the n and
fingers were brought into action, and
also the head and neck. They per-
formed well.
Eighth grade-They gave the
Wand Drill" The wands resembled
broom handles. They were all placed
in a receptacle, and as they marched
by, each pupil took one and held 1t
as a soldier does his musket until
they took their positions on the floor.
Then they grasped the wands, each
| manu- at TIE Shu, ihu pCiloil iO "a
great variety of motions. This was
a very pleasing feature of the even
ing's exercise.
Miss KunZman danced THE Rose
of Mexico a Spanish dance which
is especially adapted to he purpose
Of physical training. She did her
part gracefully, and in a manner that
brought generous applause.
The Lincoln school girls danced
the "Gottland Quadrille," an exercise
requiring much skill, having many
parts. They went through all the
variations without difficulty in a
manner that pleased the audience.
Bonita Caprice. an aesthetic group
dance, was given by the high school
girls. They came out dressed alike
in black boomers, white middies and
red ties. They gaye a fine drill
similar to military movements, and
they marcted with the precision OF
trained soldiers.
Mr.. Turner then performed OF the
rings showing feats that required
strength and thorough training.
The program was ended by the
"Maze and fancy marching" of the
high school girls. They did some
very a~rtictic work in a variety of
movements. They marched forward
and backward. wheeled by fours,
made a variety Of figures, and all
the time went like clock work. These
exercises showed thorough training
and adaptabiflty Of the girls.
AS a whole 1t was a very success
full exhibition to show the purpose OF
the work that is being done with the
view paramount of muscular develop.
ment of the child, and not a dress
parade.