CHAPTER IV 

 PHYSICAL EXERCISE 



92. Practical Importance of Sound Physical Health. A 

 healthy and vigorous child is never still except during sleep. 

 The restless muscles of school children pent up for several 

 hours feel the need of movement, as a hungry man craves 

 food. The gratification of this natural desire for muscular 

 exercise is essential to the full development and perfect 

 maintenance of the bodily health. Nothing is so essential 

 to success in life as sound physical health. It enables us to 

 work with energy and comfort and to endure unusual physi- 

 cal and mental strains. While others suffer the penalties 

 of feebleness, a lower standard of functional activities, and 

 premature decay, the fortunate possessor of a sound mind 

 in a sound body is prepared, with proper application, to 

 endure the hardships and win the triumphs of life. 



93. Effect of Exercise upon the Muscles. Systematic 

 exercise promotes the growth and development of the 

 muscles in a somewhat remarkable manner. Muscles 



NOTE. There is no profession, there is no calling or occupation 

 in which men can be engaged, there is no position in life, in which a 

 fairly developed frame will not be valuable ; there are many of these, 

 even the most purely and highly intellectual, in which it is essential 

 to success. Year by year, almost day by day, we see men and women 

 falter and fail in the midst of their labors ; . . . and all for want of 

 a little bodily stamina a little bodily power and bodily capacity for 

 the endurance of fatigue, or protracted unrest, or anxiety, or grief. 

 MACLAREN'S Physical Education. 



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