Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1919-01-02

ment insists that we analyze the
things we do; That we examine in
to our activities and weigh their
deeper values in relation to possible
national and international utilities
before leaving them for newer activ-
tiles and applications. Fortunately
for the safety Of our decisions there
is growing accumulation OF EVIL
dence that bears upon the essential
Importance for the nation Of physi-
cal education.
The Legislatures of New York,
New Jersey, Rhode Island, Nevada,
California, Delaware and Maryland
have passed laws establishing physi ;.
cal education in the schools OF their
states and like bills are pending in
cher legislative bodies in this county.
Does not this mean that the legis-
lators believe physical education to
be Of immediate Importance? Why
should not our West Virginia Legis-
lature which convenes January 4
make legislation similar to the above
states as well az adopt the new
school code which win BE- submitted
to them?
II you have read "The Wasted
Years" that appeared two years ago
in the London Nation you will have
noted that England affirms it shall
never again be said that she takes
care of her boys only when she needs
them for the terrible uses OF war"
England has determined to make ply
steal education a COMPULSORY
part Of her national education pro-
gram France had reached the same
decision and there are strong fac
tors at work here in the United
States that must lead us to uni
versal requirement in physical edu-
cation.
/ am convinced that our high
schools of West Virginia should a.
dept military and physical training.
feel it would make discipline easier
in the classroom il the boys are
taught to give strict obediance on
the drill ground Physical training
or physical education, or whatever
we may choose to call this thing we
are doing, is finding itself The
specialist in physical education who
thought formerly that his only con
Germ was with muscles finds to-day
that he has been in error and that
he must be engaged in building men
and women that he cannot limit him.
self to part Of the great problem,
and that his duty, now patriotic
duty, brings him face to face with
every influence that bears upon the
physical, mental, and moral health
Of the citizens Of the future now
under his care.
My analysis Of physical training
as it is revealed in the departments
Of physical training in our schools,
colleges, and universities, and az
conceived and stated by our state
and Federal lawmakers, leads me to
define it as a program for the acquis-
ition and conservation Of health
made up Of divisions concerned with
health examination, health informa-
ton, and the establishment Of health
habits and is wholly satisfied by no
less a quality Of health product than
that represented by the normal func-
tioning of each and every organ OF
the human body.
Specialists in physical education
are engaged in an essential and pa
trotic service. Yesterday you were
ready, in the words of Harry Lauder
to "die working for them over there;
to-day, if you are putting the best
you have into your work, you are
doing a service that is preparing the
Nation for successful battle of Peace
over here. You are concerned with
physical training that is not salts
| fed with degree and quality Of
human health that is represented by
merely being well, or the man OF
woman who is able to be out of bed
and eat three meals day and gel
about without an abnormal temper
ature. 1t is the job of the people Of
! Belington to add an enormous re.
source to the man power, and the wo.
man power of your city; to reduce
and perhaps remove entirely, the &c
percent of young men thrown into
the scrap heap by the draft; to stor
our staggering losses in working
time through sickness and accident
and thereby to provide many work
ing days, now lost, for the growth
we should make in these coming
years; and to give to the State moi
only these lives of men and wome1
saved from preventable death bu
these lives of men and women a.