MISCELLANEOUS PAPERS. S57 



tion of the child, because they are athletic and not hygienic methods. 

 Those, methods are for strong subjects, making champions of them. 

 We must not lose sight of the fact that the weak form a large per 

 cent, of the children of the present generation. The children advanced 

 in their mental development are far behind in physical growth. Our 

 methods of education must be adapted to their weak physical apti- 

 tudes. Artificial and diflBcult methods do not bring proper exercise 

 within the reach of the child. They subject it to a sort of trial, and 

 leave the weakest, or a great majority of them, to all the physical and 

 moral woes that are derived from want of exercise. Artificial and 

 difficult exercises are to natural exercises what, in mental education, 

 the higher instructions are to primary and secondary instructions. 

 Physical education has its grades, as well as mental education, and we 

 commit an error when we reverse them. We do not sufficiently appre- 

 ciate the true relation that exists between the muscular and nervous 

 systems. Long ago Dubois Raymond called our attention to the fact 

 that all bodily exercises are really exercises of the central nervous 

 system — the brain and spinal cord. We admit that a certain amount 

 of muscular action is necessary for exercise, but this is not all. You 

 may have the muscles of a Hercules, and yet cannot stand or work, 

 nor can you execute the more complicated movements. Simple in- 

 toxication will deprive you of the power to coordinate your move- 

 ments correctly. Every action of our bodies, as a locomotive apparatus, 

 depends upon a correct coordination of the muscles, rather than upon 

 the strength of their contraction. The real mechanism is located in 

 the central nervous system ; therefore, the exercise of muscle is essen- 

 tially an exercise of the nervous system. There must be a harmonious 

 development of the two systems, for if you are not capable of guiding 

 the muscles you cannot concentrate the mind. 



If we thoroughly recognize the applicability of artificial gymnas- 

 tics, the machine variety, it will be a question as to the advisability of 

 educational boards adding this as a part of a school outfit, or engaging 

 teachers of gymnastics, who are an expensive and unnecessary luxury. 

 We have plenty of lawns, shady streets, and public parks, where 

 children may indulge in gymnastics best suited to them ; that is, nat- 

 ural, unrestrained movements. I believe that you will agree with me 

 when I say that a half-hour of this class of open-air exercise will ac- 

 complish more than any amount of artificial work. In all natural 

 movements a large number of muscles are brought into action at the 

 same time — even those which are remote from the point where the 

 work appears to be located. Active games tend to a division of the 

 work among a large number of muscles, and it is the consequence of 

 natural exercise. The hygienic quality of exercise is not effort, but 



