The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-10-27
MAKING PLANS FOR
NATIONAL SPORTS

Largely as a result of the great
benefits derived from the system of
nhvsical exercises and sports among
fhe A. f.. F. in Europe and in the
home camps, "A nationwide move
ment to put athletics on a perma-
nent basis supervised by government
officials. has been set on foot by edu-
cational and physical research or
CARNATIONS throughout the country.
Plans are now being made to bring
the project before the president and
congress at some date in the near
future. when 1t is proposed to make
compulsory physical training part
OF the general educational system OF
the United States.
The proposed hill has tho backing
of such men as Or. George J. Fisher,
of the physical department of the IN
ternational war Work Couneii OF the
Y NJ C A. and president Of the New
York branch of the Physical Educa-
tional Society OF America, Joseph
Lee. of Boston. president OF IN"
American Fairgrounds associations
OF America. and f. Dana Calktns, OF
Washington. manager of the National
Educational Service and Playground
and Recreation associations AT re-
cent meeting of the Athletic Research
society of New York that orgaulza-
ton went on record as endorsing the
naturalization II physical work ID all
its branches and instructed Or. T
A. storey. OF the college of the city
OF New YORK. to place the action OF
the society before President Wilson
ard congress Many other orrani2a-
lions have followed tins Tc'5
Thirteen States already have adort-
cd legislation which makes eamru}-
sorry physical training and hygiene
part of their educational systems,
hut the lack Of national reeegsitiorr
/; Is said. is constant handicap ana
greatly lessons the BENEFITS that cans
be passed on to the children of the
country Only the unifor NIFTY n he
gained from Federal legislation will
adequately meet tho situation, ana u
is believed that IN" time j. now ripe
for "a proper presentation ~ subject
to the National government
France is at the present time the
only country thar has taken definite
stems Il nationaiiz, physical training
Capitaliaing the lesson learned during
the 1aa OF the enormous beneflts ~
physical exercise and sports, the
French government rccentN appoint
ed a com nl:tttc known as rce 'coUite
national q education physique 81
sportive ct de rhyglene soclaie dc
Fsranc,.' which will act N an od
vlsory capacity u tAe renCh e&uea-
tional department. The comntttee is
headed by NJ. Henri Pate. a memh Der
Of the chamber Of deputies and IL
was through him that the French
war department was approached 10
get the necessary sanction for the
United States army and the Y NJ c
"A. to organize the inter allied games
held in Paris June and July Of this
year
National physical training in this
country is not a new thought Many
years ago the late James r. sullivan.
of the Amateur Athletic union, out
lined plar and since then many
noted experts have followed up sui
iivan ideas and enlarged updn 1heTa
Today practically every important
college and university has come out
directly or indirectly in favor Of the
proposition II ~ planned IN start
with the school children and worb up
through the colleges and universities
reaching out 10 include every athletic
club in the country.