The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-12-24

Soccer has penetrated the noun
tains and the old chaps OF the hills
are as hilarious Al young colts. Smith
burg boys are playing u clean and
scientific game"
The letter from which this b
quoted came to Or. WhtiAm Burdick.
director OF the Public Athletic leAEue
OF baltimore, Md, from = town more
than q hundred miles away. When
Or. Burdick read that. he smiled with
the expression OF one who says, =
told you So" for IL has been his be-
lief for many years past. thAt the peo-
pie Of Maryland. young and old. would
be interested in his plans for physical
education Another letter. carrying
the same message. waA sent by man
ITS miiea from Baltimore. The idea
that germtnatad in Baltimore WAS be-
ginning to grow In other parts OF the
state.
Seventeen out Of twenty counties in
Maryland are playing soccer. One
team Is pittrd against the other Until
the county championship has been de-
tcrmined.
Soccer and social responsibility
seem pretty far apart, and yet DIR.
Burdlck and other men who are
pushing the idea Of athletics In Mary
land have proved that the game con-
tributes to state life City and coun-
try people alike are being drawn into
which has been WORRIED ct In that
state
Maryland has expeeased her Sc
sire for the health and recreation Of
her people, said DIR. Burdick. sbJ
passing the now Law requiring physi-
cal edu cation in all Of her schoolA
APPROPRIATION MADE.
In March. 1914, the legislature ay-
propriated mopey for athletics and
public recreation, thereby accepting
the principle that tho state had = re-
OF Its youth. II was significant that
our commonwealth preceded ths
other states In pianninf for the
phyaacal training OF itS children be-
fore the preasnt war. It was the
natural outcome Of experience that q
law should be passed asking for y
minimum period OF "f5 minutes IN
each school day and also at least
one hour of directed play outside Of
week" for elementary schools. and
ehree hours each week for high
schools. Maryland decided that its
scholars should be trained for life
for war II need be. and for all other
vicissttudes that might happen.
Whether this was wiser than the
course taken by other states In plan
ming primarily for military training
will be decided by the cooperation OF
the teachers in carrying out the pro-
DON.T PLAY ON THEORY.
Physical training in Maryland's
schools may include all the above aims.
but every school II expected to nae
sctting-np sxercisss."
Tho men who are leaders Of the
physical educalon movement In tho
United States. and DR.. Burdick is one
OF them. never daily long on &heoreti-
cal krouKd. They always have some
practical suggeatioM to make. Or. Bur-
always dAdnite. Soccer, ssttinH-up ex-
ercises and state actioA-<hese grow
out Of the theory Of physical educa-
ticn.
II u one thing to say that tAs chsl.
dren ofA state shall become physicaIIy
At: Il 10 another matter u ret them
80 exercise and study along the ueoes.
sAry lines. II ID extremAly interesting
to see that Maryland reaeAes into the
rcmotsst counties. and draws the boys
and girls into games and contests. In
county children to the numbsr Of go
ware active participants, In tho city
Of Baltimore thcre were S33. In othse
counties the figures ranged from sov~
enty-nine all the way I'M u kSSS TIE
Maryland state. meet hrought togethsr
73i contestants. More than 5000 chill
dren took part In games and c0ntAsts
last year, according to the annual res
pert Of the state board OF education.
DIR. Burdick has reported that, the
state showed wtsdcm In furthering
3