The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1921-12-16

to the women who enlisted or volun-
teered for war work, but rs per cent,
or one man in every four, physically
unfit, made deep impression on me.
Our high school boys and girls ten
years from now will come under those
age conditions-from q to 81, and
while we hope and pray there viii
never be any occasion to draft them
for any such purpose again, think it
would be wonderful If there could be
a compulsory examination every ten
years TO see how much progress we
have made along the lines of physical
especially when we viii
remember that at that age they are
all prospective fathers and mothers
of the next generation-the genera
ton we hope so much for.
You have all heard the story of the
man who went to the city hall in
large town and knocked at one of the
doors and was told to come in. The
official at the desk, without looking
up, said: $50 over in that corner and
strip" The man looked amazed, but
did as he was told. They weighed
him, and measured him, and thumped
him, and examined his eyes, ears and
teeth, took specimens of all kinds for
microscopic examination and finally
told him he might put on his clothes.
When the man had chance to speak,
he said: "WeH, if I had known I'd
have to go through all of that, I'd
never have thought of getting mar
RED" The man had gone in to get a
marriage license, but the officer
thought he was an applicant for po-
sition on the police force.
They tell that as just joke but l
have always thought it means a great
deal more than joke. Most any man
is considered physically fit to be a
prospective father when physically
unfit to be policeman, fireman, SOL
der, sailor OF most any other gov
eminent employee-and you can only
get men physically fit when you have
given them physical education at the
same time when you give them mental
education.
But of course 1t is the school boys
and girls of today that we are most
vitality interested in-their education
not only mentally but physically. If
they are developed mentally and
physically to the Lest of their ability,
then morally and spiritually, they will
live on a higher plane-and that is
what we are working for-to give
them the highest and best.
It may be we mothers will have to
be educated along these lines too, for
it is only the last few years that 1
have realized what physical education
means to young man or woman.
We have all known some time in
our lives a young man or woman who,
after four strenuous years in college
and just when their ambition seemed
about TO be realized, would be COM
PEELED to drop everything for a year
4
or two to avoid nervous breakdown,
or did really become physical wreck.
| New there should be no reason for
such thing as this to happen. Their
brains were perfectly able to accom-
plish the task, but they failed because
! they neglected to educate themselves
/ physically at the same time-or,
rather, should say, they were allow
ed to neglect the physical side while
compelled to educate the mental side.
] Brains will take any amount of
strain if bodies are kept physically
fit, and that is why l think physical
training should have it's proper place
/ in school life right from the begin
/ ming.
We have tried to do some of this
! physical education and l don't sup
pose / know half of what has beer
done and nothing at all of what the
teachers do individually, but we die
have military drill at one time com
pulsory, and l was very sorry wher
it had to be dropped. At the Marion
County Fair last year the American
Legion was instrumental in, putting
on a very interesting track meet, ant
at Silver Springs some time befor'
school closed last spring, most en-
icyable field day was held, which i
all along the lines of physical educa
ton. Then of course, the Parent
: Teachers Association is responsible
for the purchase and installation o
the playground equipment which i
especially planned for the physical de
velopment of the child (even if we d
get broken arm one in while-for
:, tunately that is only temporary.
!, So you see. we have done som
2 things without counting the work O