PRECISION IN PHYSICAL TRAINING. 467 



PRECISION IN PHYSICAL TRAINING. 



By M. GEOKGES DEMENY. 



THE high aim of science should be, definitely, the physical and 

 moral perfectioning of man. The exercise of the cerebral 

 functions of all ought undoubtedly to be directed from infancy 

 by educators. It is generally agreed that physical education is a 

 necessity of hygiene, but it is not clear to every one that physical 

 education should be subjected to rules and to a precise directing. 

 It is a mistake, in our opinion, to think of getting the best results 

 while neglecting to make scientifically a comparative study of the 

 different methods employed, and while abandoning, as is often 

 the case, the exercises of the body to the caprice of the imagina- 

 tion. There result from this vague condition various currents of 

 opinion contradictory of one another and detrimental to the final 

 result proposed, of ameliorating the physical condition of our 

 population, especially of the population at school, of every degree. 

 Fortunately, the elements of physical education are tangible, its 

 effects are measurable, and we can conduct the discussions on a 

 positive ground on which they fall of themselves. This condition 

 is very different from that of mental education. It is a certain 

 motive for improvement ; and we purpose to review the precise 

 means which have contributed to the result. We shall first try 

 to show that it is possible to form a scientific conception of physi- 

 cal education at the present time. "We shall then see that the new 

 processes of physiology already permit a satisfactory control of 

 its results. 



For a method of education to be established, it is necessary 

 that the end sought be well defined, and the means employed be per- 

 fectly adapted to the proposed end and compatible with the human 

 organization. The indisputable object of education should be the 

 perfecting of the individual in view of the general progress ; it is 

 an economical object, having as its consequence a much greater 

 conversion of human activity into useful work. In physical edu- 

 cation it is necessary to apply all the general knowledge we pos- 

 sess concerning the relations between the function and the organ, 

 or rather concerning the modifications endured by the organs, of 

 which we modify the function. 



All the ideas acquired by trainers are to be carefully collected ; 

 and among modifiers of species, selection must be placed in the 

 first line. Unfortunately, we are still far from the thought of 

 applying to ourselves* this powerful agent for improvement, al- 

 though we impose it on our domestic animals ; our own unions 

 are not often made in view of the inheritance of vigor and health 

 which we shall leave to our descendants. 



