Arizona republican., 1921-07-23
By Frederic J. Haskin

WASHINGTON, July 22-Curious
 visitors from European shores who have compiled Impressions of their sojourns in the United States from time to time, have emphasized, among other things, the typical Americans s capacity for making a game of every thing, from the most frivolous and 1 least important of his pleasures to his most serious business and domes- tic problems. L is in the spirit of a game that physical education au-
 thorities are trying to wipe out the high percentage of malnutrition and general physical unfitness among school children Charts recording the gain in weight of members of the class are compared each month. The development of good habits is like wise noted. The result of such com parison spreads from classroom to school house, from building to county records and then to the notice of state authorities, until 1t is finally | triumphantly stunned in the public eye via educational and other peri odicals.
 | Our schools have failed in physical l education more than in mental edu-
 cation Dr. J. Mace Address, an au- thority on child hygiene, says that
 probably from 20 to 30 per cent of the children in the United States are un- dernourished.
 But" he adds, "it is possible to do away with mainutrition. One school in the Middle West had 73 per cent of it's children underweight, but by hard work at the end of the year only 6 per cent were underweight." 1 In states where children are re- quired to be in a good condition of health before they are granted per mission to go to work. it is a notice l able fact that both children and par ents become interested in the prac- tice of hygiene, to meet the require
 ments of the law.
 Although the movement for phys l ical education legislation has been most active during the past two years, | the first state law requiring 1t In the schools was passed on June 26, 1915, by Illinois. Seven other states
 passed similar measures before April 1 1918. They were New York, New l Jersey, Nevada, Rhode Island Cali | fornia, Maryland and Delaware. At | the present time more than half the l states have laws requiring that some
 phase of physical education be | taught in the schools. The far and
 middle western states have been most active in this work, and the southern
 states are accepting the idea with in- creasing enthusiasm. The four latest states to join the ranks are Missouri | West Virginia, North Carolina and
 Massachusetts.
 The states are all interested in physical education" says Dr. E. Dana 1 Caullxins of the National Physical
 Education service, but we need the | federal stimulus. Our greatest help | lies in the passage of the bill now ] before congress which, among other | things, provides for 50- 50 financial basis. That is, the federal govern
 ment will give one dollar for physical l education for each dollar which the | states will provide.
 A Twofold Purpose
 ! The purpose of physical education is twofold. involving instruction in the care of the body and training in the development of the body The
 need for such training is undeniable l when one considers, for instance, the
 case of John Wiggins. Johns father | had raised a perfect mountain of a | blue ribbon pig for county fair
 John himself. however. was seven pounds underweight. when it was l suggested that he drink some of the quantities of milk which was pro- duced on the farm, he said scornfully
 -Milki Why, we give milk to the l pigs. I drink coffee" John also | thought it was too cold to bathe ir the morning; he liked to stay up late at night; thought he had plenty of aii in the daytime without having his
 windows open at night. Neverthe- i less, the deficient seven pounds ran- kled in Johns mind and he gave the eytlIaS n ri Tnt ' I was 13 years old.
 The health conditions of country children average worse than those O I city children. This may seem odd tt
 one accustomer to hearing the bro
 mide about going to the country fol
 ones health, but it is true. Statistic.
 jointly compiled by the American
 Medical association and the Nationa
 Educational asspciation have proved
 it. In the cities interesting summe
 classes and playground facilities arr
 planned to keep the children off tn,
 streets yet in the fresh air as far al
 possible. In the country home con
 ditions are too frequently unsanitar,
 and in many cases the children do no
 have the proper kind or amount O
 recreation.
 In the days when father and moth
 CT went to school and even in tn
 early part ot the generation succeed
 ing them, the maternal parent usuall,
 kept a watchful eye on the younge
 members of the household Befor
 allowing a child to set foot over tn
 doorsill for school she Inquired if hi
 teeth were brushed. his nails and ear clean, his shoes polished and his hai combed. Even then he might not b able to escape in time for a game O tag before school. if father chance, to spy bread crust uneaten on hi