Newspaper Page Text
Prof. Heman Hein Talks Instruct
On Physical Training
Tbe following article was crowded
out of our lust week'h issue, it being
the lecture delivered by Mr. Hein at
the meeting of the Con^. Men's Club
last week.
"We find a great diversity of opin
ion on this subject. Some say that
school gymnastics ought to consist
simply of games, while those who go
farthest in their demands, cite the re
nowned physiologist, Prof. Virchow,
who says, 'It is my belief that only
one-half of the school hours should be
devoted to study and the rest to phy
sical training and games,' and others
declare that, 'It is necessary to lift
all physical training, or whatever goes
by that name at present in many of
our school systems from its present
inferior position to a higher level, and
place it on a sound foundation as a
truly educational department.'
"These latter claim that the first
and foremost requirement of any sys
tem of physical training for the public
schools is, that it has for its object
the harmonious development of the
child's body according to well defined
physiological, psychological, and peda
gogical laws.
"To arrive at a correct solution of
the problem what the objects of school
gymnastics must be, it becomes nec
essary to inquire, first: what are the
^conditions of modern school life,
which must be taken into considera
tion when choosing exercises, and sec
ond, what are the physiological de
mands of a child between the ages of
6 and 12 as to its growth and develop
ment.
"Up to its entrance into school a
child has led a comparatively free
life. In general, it has moved about
wherever it pleased, sang, played, and
ran. It was out of doors, in the sun
shine and fresh air, most of the time.
With its entrance into scnool all
these conditions are immediately
changed. It now must remain in a
closed room five' hours a day. The
school requires that it be quiet. The
demands of writing, ciphering, draw
ing, sewing, etc., keep the child in un
natural positions for hours. Its time
for play is greatly restricted, and the
lungs instead of developing and ex
panding, suffer because of the child's
long sitting. Heart and circulation
also suffer from loss of action. Then
the air in most schoolrooms is fm
**S»re, The eyes often suffer from poor
light, too much work, or incorrect
seating. The desks and benches are
often ill-fitted. In short we find that
school life gives the child conditions
which are radically opposed to those
needed for its bodily development.
"Modern physiology tells us that
the necessity of muscular exercise be
comes greater the more the demands
for mentail devlopment grow, and the
more artificial the lives of city chil
'dren become. But the modern school
does not lecognize this. The school
work itself if of a more intense char
acter, all loading away from muscular
^work.
•5', "Tfee lile of a normally developed
child is ohe.of continual activity, dur
ing aill its waking hours. It seldom is
quiet for any length of time, and many
a teacher has found one of her hardest
problems a boy, or girl, so full of vi
tality that he cannot be quiet for a
minute. Yet school life asks that
this child remain quiet for hours. We
are not only supposed to suppress that
activity which is an integral part of
the life of every normally developed
^hild, but we are also asking the child
to pay close attention to processes
which develop the mind.
"We will now ask, what does physi
ology teach us is going on in the bod
ies of our pupils during the first eight
school-years? Children enter the first
grade at about six years and leave
.the, grammar schools at about fourteen
years of age. During the first three that have
years the child accustoms itself to the
physical conditions of school life. A
great development of bones, especially
of the head, takes place The next
years, that is up to the begining of
puberty, bring about a strengthening
of the skeletal frame and the muscles
continue to grow -more enduring.
"If we now remember that every oi
gan will reach its highest develop
ment, if it receives its proper exer
cise at the time of its greatest
growth, these investigations have giv
en us a guide to lead us in the selec
tion of exercises that are of the great
est value at certain periods of a child's
life. They show us that during child
hood the heart is comparatively
small, and the arteries wide that a
rapidly working heart finds little re
sistance and can send the blood
quickly through the whole body. The
normal development of the heart dur
ing the period of its greatest growth
is of prime importance for the main
tenance of health, as well as for
gaining and preserving the greatest
bodily power and resistance. To*
choose exercises that promote heart
growth must, at this period of a
child's life, be one of our chief aims.
Next importance is the develop
ment of the lungs. Experiments have
proved that only about one-sixth of
the air in our lungs is changed dur
ing ordinary breathing-. When great
est inhalation and exhalation take
place, this amount is increased 5 to 6
fold. Children from 6 to 14 years of
age average, 24 respirations per min
ute. The dumber and depth of respi
rations are increased by muscular ex
ercise. „.
"Knowing that school children dur
ing their daily work have little in
centive to breathe deeply, yes, that in
most of their ocupations in the bench
es they generally assume positions
that limit the exchange of air, it de
velops that another of the main objects
of educational gymnastics for our
schools must be the proper and full
development of the respiratory or
gans. What is neglected in the first
eight school years can never wholly
he regained later in life.
LfJK
"Although but little is known^of the
functions of the different parts of the
brain, we do know that it is necessary
to develop certain groups ot the mus
cles if the corresponding nerve center
"Modern science has taught us that
man is an organic unit, and that a
mutual relationship and interdepen
dence exists between mind and body.
"Dr. Wey, in his experiments with
the dullest pupils at the New York
state reformatory at Elmira years ago,
proved that with vigorous bodily train
ing there came to the anfortunates
under his control a mental improve
ment which was marked. He also
proved that this mental awakening
was not only for a short time, but that
the pupils he had experimented with,
continued to improve mentally as well
as physically.
"Investigations have shown that a
normally developed child demands
bodily activity that exercise is as
necessary for a child's growth as is
nutrition, that during the first eight
years of a child's life the vital organs
grow most that if they are not given
the proper exercise then, this neglect
can never later in life be fully reme
died. Having all this in mind we
find that a system of physical train
ing for the primary and grammar
grades must be arranged from the
following standpoint*
"In the first period from 6—9 years,
the child needs exercises that conform
as much as possible to those forms of
activity to which it has been accus
tomed in his pre-school years. These
are largely movements which stimu
late the circulation, respiration, and
nutritive functions, movements which
engage large groups of muscles, and
which demand little concentration and
expenditure of nerve force. These
are mainly the so-called exercises of
quickness found principally in the
play form of gymnastics and running
games.
When the facilities are at hand,
easy exercises on hanging and swing
ing apparatus may also begin with the
lowest grade, also simple forms of
jumping.
"In the second period of school life,
that is from 9—14 years, the induce
ment of growth and development, and
counteracting detrimental influences
of sitting and an indoor life, are still
the main demands to be met by edu
cational gymnastic work. Progressing
from the forms of exercises taken in
the first period, the movements of
quickness must be increased and di
versified they must now begin to take
the form of skill. Running for a few
minutes, and other exercises requiring
endurance must be given recognition.
Free movements demanding greater
coordination, and also exercises with
wands, dumb-bells and clubs should
be introduced. Easy exercises on ap
paratus, especially such demanding
skill must be continued. After the
twelfth year, when the bones and mus
cles have become stronger the sim
pier forms of apparatus exercises de
veloping strengta, endurance and
courage demand recognition, and
should be introduced. Games, espec
ially the more intricate forms of ball
games are a delight to pupils of this
age. Swimming and skating, mod
erate bicycle riding and walking long
distances should be encouraged.
"The question now aiises, how much
time should be devoted to gymnas
tics daily?
"It may be some time before our
school boards will subscribe to the
demand, 'that the time needed daily
for physical training must first be set
aside, and the remainder apportioned
to the mental studies, or that they al
low Prof. Virchow's claim of one-half
each day for physical work,' but when
by the foregoing we have shown how
necessary this training is for the
natural development of the child and
when we see how much time is wasted
on mental studies, because the chil
dren are physically unable to concen
trate their attention upon the subject
before them, the matter appears in a
different light. The standpoint to be
taken is that no school has a right
to impair the health of a child in order
to teach it any mental part.
"Taking the experiences of cities
had physical training in
their schools for years it is safe to
say that the least time required for
physical work, including recesses is
one hour a day. This time is best di
vided as follows.
"First, two recesses per day, 30
minutes.
"Second, two gymnastic lessons Of
ten minutes each, 20 minutes.
"Third, exercises to be taken four
or five times per day after each period
demanding sitting, 10 minutes, making
60 minutes in all. The recess shall
be devoted to games of all sorts suit
able to the age of the children. In
rainy or inclement weather the games
should be held in the halls or base
ments. Where possible, arrangements
should be made during the winter to
flood parts of the school yard so that
pupils may practice skating. In
schools having gymnasiums or assem
bly hall fitted up with gymnastic ap
paratus, I would recommend three
gymnasium periods of 30—35 minutes
each per week, one-half to be devoted
to free exercises, and the other half
to apparatus work and games. To get
the best results, gymnastic activity
requires adequate room and time, as
much light and air as possible, and a
variety of apparatus. One of the most
urgent requirements to which atten
tion must continually be called is that
every school building should be pro
vided with an adequate place for gym
nastics with a complete equipment of
gymnastic apparatus: if possible a
closed hall, assembly room or gymna
sium for winter and rainy days, and
an open, adequately equipped jplay
ground for good weather.
"The increased cost of a school
building with such facilities will not
be very large and the resultant bene
fits to children and teachers will be
so great that the increased expendi
ture* will prove to be a good invest
ment by its large returns in bodily and
mental vigor of all occupants.
Mrs. A. A. Swagel. Krok, Wis., a
well known resident of Kewaunee
Co., says: "I always use Foley's
Honey and Tar Compound for my
children, as I know it will always
cure their coughs and colds, and they
like to take it.
Olsen.
0
5
(0
-I
O
0
Gold Watches
FREE
GoldWatchContest
A CONTEST OPEN TO ANYBODY, ANYWHERE EXCEPT
CONTESTANTS IN THE GRAND PRIZE CONTEST
Here is a contest within a contest and is open to any man. woman or child, any
where, excepting the contestants in the GRAND PRIZE CONTEST.
HQW MANY subscriptions could you secure before the 11th of next month for
the Review or Post or both papers combined? There is no doubt in our minds
but what you have a number of friends who would gladly subscribe for one of the
papers if you should ask them, particularly glad to subscribe right now if by so
doing they could help you win a gold watch.
Gold Watches Free
To every person who secures 20 new subscribers to
either the Review or Post or both papers combined between
now and the 11th of next month we will give a PINE GOLD
WATCH, thin model and guaranteed for 20 jea,rs. This
watch comes in Ladies', Mens' or Boys' sizes. This is a
hunting case watch, beautifully engraved, gold finished
throughout, stem wind and stem set, American movement
and is guaranteed *or 20 years. It is a good watch and one
that you would like to own. Secure as many subscriptions
as you can. If you secure 40 new subscribers we will make
you a present of two gold watches. If you can get 100 new
subscriptions we will give you 5 gold watches.
Gifts For Everybody.
In case you fail to get 20 subscribers we will have a
present for you just the same even tho you secure but a few
new subscriptions. YOU CAN NOT LOSE.
An Additional Privilege to All.
If after you have secured a number of subscriptions
and find out how easy it is to secure subscriptions for the
two papers and then wish to turn your subscriptions into
votes in the GRAND PRIZE CONTEST you may do ho
instead of accepting the Watch. Of course that is to be
decided by you, yourself so you may have your own way in
the matter entirely.
Reasons For This Offer.
We find that there are a great many people who wish to
enter the GRAND PRIZE CAMPAIGN but they want to
be assured of a positive reward for their work in case they
have to drop out of the race later on for some unforseen
reason, beiore the campaign has been brought to a close.
We know that such an offer as we are making is no more
than fair because we want everybody to be perfectly satis
fied and we want every person to receive a reward for any
work they may do in the contest.
Christmas Presents.
At this time of the year nearly everyone is thinking
about Christmas and Christmas presents. Therefore this
is YOUR OPPORTUNITY. A GOLD WATCH such as we
offer will make a mighty nice Christmas present.
N O W GE S Get out and win a number of these
GOLD WATCHES for Christmas gifts. It will not require
a great deal of your time to win one or more of the watches
and we can assure you that you will find it eas)', pleasant
and profitable work.
Boys and Girls
You can win one or more of these watches IN YOUR
SPARE TIME AFTER SCHOOL. Get your father,
mother, uncle, aunt, in fact anyone you know to subscribe
for any one of the newspapers. Remember if people pay
for more than one year in advance it counts just that much
more. For example If a person pays for two years in
advance it counts just tbe same, as two new subscriptions
and so on up the line up to 5 years paid in advance which
counts the same as 5 new subscriptions. Just think of it!
Get ten of your friends to subscribe for either paper for
two years in advance arid you have earned a gold watch with
but a few hours work. ITS EASY. JUST TR IT.
How To Enter.
Write to the contest manager, New Ulm Publishing Co.,
New Ulm, Minn, or call and get a receipt book and go to
work. Any questions you may ask will be gladly answered-
Subscription Price of the Papers.
The Review is $1.50 per year.
The Post is $2.00 per year.
Begin Now.
Just as soon as you read this offer take a piece of paper
and put down the names of the people that you think would
help you and then get out and hustle. If you hustle you can
win a Gold Watch in couple of days. I has been done be
fore in other localities and there is no reason why you can
not do the same thing here.
Start Right Now
NEW ULM PUB LISHING CO
Gold .Watches
FREE
GoldWatchContest
I
ID
IT
0
0
0
3
O
E
tt
CO
30
&JI
'_
^n
