THE PHYSICAL TRAINING OF FRENCH BOYS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1721, 11 April 1913, Page 6

THE PHYSICAL TRAINING OF FRENCH BOYS.

: » — ATHLETICS ON ENGLISH LINES. . The physical education of. the youth of Fiance is soon, to be taken in. hand and properly directed. There is already, and thero lias been, for some time, a steadily growing enthusiasm among the boys of the country for athletics, but this enthusiasm, Unless pro'pfcrly regulated, is not calculated to produco anything like the best results. , Jl. Gabriel Benvalot is at the head of a n'ovemont which has for its object the propei' direction of the physical education of the IVench youth. He is a man wlm has. travelled widely and seen the benefits of athletics in all countries, but particularly in England, and his enthusiasm is immense.. "The trouble with the French," he said to the "Daily News" Paris correspondent, "is that they are too enthusiastic. The French boys have dc-veloped a great ardour for sports, but they are very liable, without proper direction, to overdo it. This diiec-tion is what I am endeavouring to sr.cure, by standardising the physical education system throughout the country, and so regulating this great enthusiasm, iuul utilising it to the utmost by directing it into the proper channels." "Of course," lie continued, "conditions are not the same hero as in your country. There are no playing-fields attached t<> the State schools, there are too many examinations, and too much study. Physical drill is' very- rare, arid -where it is practised it is -done in such a desultory 'manner as to rob it of all interest. "The 'Physical Education Congress' which we are holding in Paris on March 1G will show what we have already accomplished, and during the Congress further methods of solving the problem will be planned." ' 51. Benvalot wants to make the French boy more Mite the sturdy, healthy boy who is his neighbour across tlio Channel. Ho is a firm beLiever in the value of games in forming character, and developing the capacity of leading men. "It is the captains of football and crcket in your public schools who have built up your colonies," lie said to me. Teams of English boys and girls are to compete against others of many nationalities in. gymnastics in the forthcoming Ccngress. I