Perth Amboy evening news., 1919-01-28
eyes" Says John J. Sender
man, Y. M. c. A. Physical
Director, in Interview

There has always been a disagree
ment among parents as to the auvisa-
blllty OIL having their sons partlcl-
pate IN aln4eLIcs-eSpeclaily wnlle
trey are alte44uIns school,, the a.6u-
ment against such physical training
of the boy beng mat II taAes as
mind OF ms SCHOOL work and tnat he
cannot Apply nInSelf to his stuuIes as
be should.
On the other hand there are those
who oe4.~No enaI recreation consisting
OF athIetlC5 IS Just what d pvS ASous
to help nm increase has mehtai4ty
n Sucn u person Is Jonn j.. onder
man, the new physical director of the
Y. NJ. e. A. Mr. Sonderman after
years OIL experience IN training boys
during thar stage of life when they
are gong Iron boyhood to young
mannooo has a strong argument In
favor OF every boy becoming an ath-
lete n naS opligIngiy given the
sporting eu.lvr an interview.
This Ii wat Mr.. Sonuerman says:
Shall my boy become an athlete?
Shall my boy spend time in athletic
training when ne might be doing
This phase of life which In the past
was lett to nature is now a live ques-
ton ana one which conIronts every
parent.
The question Is not, "Can my boy
become an athlete 2" but "Shal he
become an atnlete 2" Virtually every
boy can: onIy u prohibitive organic
defect stands in the way, for the ath-
lete is as much the product of special
training supplemented by adaptability
as is the scholar.
As provision for physical training
has been made q part of the educa-
tional equipment of Il schools, the
fnal decision as to whether q boy
shall become an athlete rests with
himself ana his parents.
Some boys are born athletes and
need no encouraging along this line.
The question that the fond parent
asks is this, Shall our boys, who are
not born athletes and athletic in
clined receive the proper encourage
ment that will insure their becoming
athletes or shall we leave them to the
whim of their own individual inclina-
ton?"
The pros and cons are many. but
we as parents are no moro justified
In taking sides in this controversy
without being properly Informed than
we are in deciding for our children
when ours is a position of ignorance.
Thus let US hear the answer to this
question.
First, let every parent investigate
kuu Aealh ACthCA Oil SaASs S
ing will prove of an advantage or the
reverse in the boys immediate and
future life. This Is always the first
question that presents itself to
thoughtful parents. 1t has of late
been thoroughly investigated and
conclusive proof has been brought
forward to show hat 1t is a distinct
advantage. 1t has been shown that
the scholarship of the athletes In
large schools and colleges when COM
pared with the rank n file of their
associates is equal or even better than
the average.
When his record has been COM
pared with hat of special groups
having like broad activities n spe-
cial demands on their time, such as
class officers, staff of periodicals, glee
club members, etc, 1t has been found
to be much better, and yet we hnd
that athletic activity is virtually the
only branch of student life that is
curtailed unless scholastic standards
are met.
There is nothing to show that brain
and muscle are not Incompatible. In
fact, the two forms of activity are
complemental. 1t Is as lard for a
student to have his idle moments de-
void OF diversion, especially physical.
as IT Is for the athlete to be without
the counter-balancbing influence of
mental exercise; study develops mas