Newark post., 1920-12-15
WOULD HAVE LECIS-
LATION TO COMPEL
PHYSICAL FITNESS
President of Interscholastic
Athletic Association Writes
Timely Article

timely Article
The welfare of this nation to-
morrow depends upon what this
nation does fo rthe well-being of
it's children today. If we can
plant good games and physical
health Through athletic sports, a
crop of healthy children will come
up.
Shocked by the number of
physically unfit found by the Sc
lective draft during the war, we
cannot help but look back with
shame on the neglect of our youth
in days of peace. Our attention
has been focused, then, during
four years Of extraordinary de-
mand for unlimited man power
upon the essential but wofully
neglected values of physical edu-
cation. Will we forget? Can we
forget the wasted human service
and wasted human life so sudden
ly pressed upon our people in a
time of desperate need, the world
war; resulting from physical un-
fitness? Does anyone question the
right of children to get training
now for the hard work of man.
hood and womanhood? The pre-
paration of youth for the battles
of maturity is as important for to-
morrow as it was for yesterday.
Stop to consider the conditions
as we found them during the war.
Thirty-three percent of the men in
the first draft rejected outright as
physically unfit! That means that
over two and half millions of
men from 21 to 81 were unfit for
military service, therefore unfit to
render full measure of service in
any capacity; equally unable to
get full returns from life in work
and happiness.
What will America do to meet
the situation? What will Della
ware do to raise the standard of
health of her people? There are
over twenty-five millians of chill
dren of school age delaware
claiming over $4,000 in the
United States today, marching
along the great highway of youth.
Numerous Investigations made
through medical inspection show
that at least so per cent have de-
fects impeding normal progress in
some degree. Many live in homes
and at school in conditions un-
hygienic and they lack the posi-
tive physical educ alton play,
athletics, gymnastic work-neces-
sary to realize their potential man
and woman power.
What is the solution of the
whole problem? AS l now see it,
there can be but one answer.
There must be State and Federal
legislation, followed by a vigorous
campaign for national and state
physical fitness. We find that only
a few states have taken effective
steps to meet this long neglected
need by uniform provisions for
developing of the children physi-
cally in every school house. Four
teen states now have laws making
physically education a part of the
regular school curriculum. What
has Delaware done? Delaware is
now interested in raising better
wheat, better sweet potatoes, and
better corn. 1t would seem that
it is the duty of the State to aid,
too, in the development of better
children-better citizens. What do
you think? The support of all
serious minded people is needed
to establish in every school in
Delaware physical education for
boys and girls.
The State of Delaware, very
wisely, compels all children, rich
and poor alike, to attend school.
By so doing, the sta,e assumes re-
sponsibility for the children's
welfare during their school age,
In the past, you will agree, the
State has been content to devote
all it's effort to the intellectual de-
velopment, and has given little OF