Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-10-06
Or. r. TAFT MCKENZIE
On Physical Education

UNIVERSAL participation in competitive
~ sports by the entire student body OF
American colleges will never be realized, in
the opinion Of DIR. r. TAFT Mckenzie. head
vania, because Of the peculiar psychological
reaction of certain men against athletic
competition.
According to Doctor Mckenzie, class work
in gymnasiums will continue to be necessary
as the American colleges progress further and
further on the road to the ideal method or
physical education.
"It is needless to say" he declared that
the fact Is becoming more and more recog-
mixed that college man must be an all
around man, and that his physical educa,
tion plays just as large role as his mental
equipment A great many Of the men who
10 to college are ignorant physically ana
have TO be taught number Of things which
are In the primer class Of body building.
Especially do the city boys show com
plete ignorance of tests Of athletic ability
which to the country boy would be everyday
occurrences and with which they are well
acquainted. This untaught percentage must
things athletic, in their logical. regular pro-
gression. In addition, all men, including
both those who have had athletic training
and those who have not must be given
enough exercise to keep them in good physi-
cal health.
III they have that health they should be
encouraged to 90 into games. but they should
not be forced to do so.
Had to Excuse Many
"At the University Of Pennsylvania last
year we had 1900 men who had to take
physical education. OF this number, 400 had
some illness or defect making II necessary to
excuse them either entirely or In part from
the regular class and field work. About
half Of the remainder took class work in the
gymnasium for body building. The other
half we're candidates for one or another OF
the nineteen sports recognized at Pennsyl-
vania.
There were a great many men who went
out for track sports who may never become
team members. The same applies, of course,
to football or swimming or rowing. Yet II
they like the sport and are properly directed
the exercise will be good for them. In the
matter Of swimming, particularly, 1t is true
that II n man learns the strokes and can be
taught how to take care of himself in the
water he has gained what should be part OF
the equipment of every we'll educated man.
~ have found from my experience at the
University that 1t is impossible to expect to
get all men definitely taking part In sports.
Nearly half the average student body Is not
interested-even dislikes-competitive work
and desires only education. For this reason
the bulk of the student body. will always be
found on the floors of gymnasiums engaged In
would be a failure.
Instead Of anything like this, l have a
system which call the prescription method
At the beginning OF every year we have a
complete physical examination OF the entire
freshman class. If a man appears before ME
in poor state of health and with body
run down. | do not allow him to take the
regular gymnasium work or to enter into
any one OF the nineteen sports. If he did so
the result might be decidedly injurious.
'Instead, a partial course Is prepared
| which may include the ordinary setting up
exercises with the class, but none of the
more violent forms of exercise. He con-
tinues this method for a term and then re
ports to me again, 30 that can see what
progress he has made. 1t may be that after
one or two terms, or at any rate before he
| graduates, he can safely take part in any
| form of athletics he desires.
Have Compulsory Physical Work
IT believe that Pennsylvania system of
| physical education is as good as can be OBJ
tained. We have had in practice there for
twelve years what Harvard introduced last
year after much debate, that Is, compulsory
sxerc ses for students. The number Of wears
in which such exercise is required and the
exact form that It Is supposed to take differ
for different colleges, but 90 per cent OF the
colleges OH the Carnegie Foundation have
some sort OF compulsory physical education
rule.
Last year, FOR the first time. we were
able to INTRODUCES at Pennsylvania = more
complete system Of crsditing men for their