PHYSICAL EXERCISES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2074, 28 December 1907, Page 3 (Supplement)

PHYSICAL EXERCISES.

(By Physical Culturist.)

“The wealthiest man on earth is ill reality but a pauper if his body is in a continual state of ill-health.” A good many of us nowadays are apt to think that the time is so short in which to employ ourselves in the every day affairs of life, and that there is so much work to done in that short time, that there can be simply ho no time to look after the welfare of the body. Surely there cannot be a greater mistake than this! If we each of us analyse our individual positions in the daily round, how many can faithfully say that they could not if they desired to find at least one half hour in which to take some healthful exercise? I think the reader will agree with me. there are very few indeed. So that- admitting the desire of everyone to he the possessor of good, sound health, this naturally brings us to a course to adopt which will “set the body glowing -and free tfie mind from care.” Well then, first let the reader fix the time in which to take the exercises, whether it bo more convenient in the morning or night, (If possible it- will be found more beneficial to cut the time in half, so to speak, excercising both in tho morning and night.) Having divested himself or herself—for these remarks apply equally to both sexes —of nfl heavy or tight clothing stand with body erect, heels together, and hands at sides, in front of an open window.

Exercise I. Now whilst raising the arms slowly forward and onward above the head, inhale steadily the while through the nose. When the arms are at full length. When the head pause a few seconds with lungs filled, then exhale slowly through tho mouth bringing the arms again- to tlie sides. Repeat this a dozen or twenty times. It is very important that- tho breathing commences first as i!ow down in the trunk a 6 possible bringing the air gradually up to the chest which becomes expanded to the full. This simple exercise if persisted in night and morning, or whenever thought of during the day, will not only greatly expand the lungs and improve the circulation of the blood, but will be found to- have a wonderfully stimuilatiug effect upon the whole body. Exercise 11. Next to euro indigestion, biliousness, depression and like ailments, the following simple exercises will be found most effective. Lie at full lenglit upon the floor (or a beil if of sufficient length) with both hands clasped behind the head. Starting with the right thigh first bring tlie knee as hard up to tho chest as possibfe having the leg bent downwards, at the same time inhaling through the nose. . Pause, then return right thigh to the original position exhaling through the mouth. Whilst the right- thigh is coming down the left should be brought up in the. manner above described. This exercise requires to dono sharply, yet not jerkily, never allowing the heels to touch the floor or bed, as the case may be, but pausing a few 'inches above it each time. Continue until tired.

Exercise 111. Now get to the floor again and take lip a position similiar to that for the breathing exercise. Stoop down by bending the body at tlie waist, keeping the 'knees quite straight, fingers touching the toes. Slowly raise bauds above head, inhaling through the nose, and bringing tho body to an erect position until'. a tightening is felt at- the abdominal muscles. Pause a second, then bend slowly forward again, exhaling, until the fingers again touch the toes, always keeping the knees perfectly straight. Repeat these exercises, increasing the number of times as the muscles become hardened. The effect of the exercises upon tlie digestive organs is this, that the circulation of the blood immediately increases in the parts exercised, thus causing the digestive juices to secreto more freely out of the stomach, thereby practically removing the cause of depression, indigestion and so oil. During the summer months it becomes more important that- the digestive organs work well and freely, as the body is then in such a state as to be an easier prey to fevers than is the case during tho cold weather, so that those who wish to escape them and the feeling of exhaustion and lassitude, which is apt to be experienced in this .somewhat enervating climate, need have absolutclv no fear of such inconveniences if they will but fortify themselves by physical exercises. “ 111 conclusion, if I may offer a little suggestion upon the subject of diet, 1 would recommend that very litifc meat and no rich or greasy foods be taken, but plenty of ripe Fruit, vegetables, lettuces and greens of all descriptions b? substitute.-! : also as much good filtered water as utvdblo be drunk half an hour before and about two hours after meals. Tb; result of these few minutes our: daily will assuredly be '“Mens Sana in Corpore Sano.’

EDUCATIONAL MATTERS. RETURN OF THE INSPEOTOR- - GENERAL. VIEWS OF THE WORLD’S METHODS. Sunburned and healthy, with a vast stock of information about the leading educational systems of the world, Mr George Hogben, M.A., In-spector-General of Sciiook, returned to the Dominion on December 13th. He has been travelling for ten months, observing educational methods in order to present a report upon the various phases cf the subject, which will probably have an 'mportant bearing upon the Government’s future educational policy. While in England he attended yvo international conferences of educationists. “It is due to the Minister to know the result of my observations first, ’ remarked iHr Hogben, when lie was asked' -if he could favor “Times” readers with some of his views upon the New Zealand educational .methods, and liow they might bo modified' so as to bring them thoroughly abreast of tho times. “I only t-ck three days’ holiday in the ten months,” continued tho InspectorGeneral, “and I Rave practically been seeing tilings educational tile whole time.” ' The countries to_ which Mr Hogben paid special attention for tile purposes of liis tour were, taking thorn in the order in which he travelled through them : Italy, North and South Germany, France, Holland, the United Kingdom, the Canadian provinces of Quebec, Ontario, and British Columbia, and finally the United States, tlie -places visited there including New Y T orlc and the Coliunbia University, Boston and Harvard University, Philadelphia, -Baltimore and Chicago. Sir lioghen then crossed the Canadian Rockies to Vancouver, viewing some of the grandest scenery in the world. At Vancouver he joined the Miowe’ra, which took him -across the Pacific to Sydney, and finally his travels ended with a. pleasant trip across the Tasman Sea to Wellington. THE PRE-EMINENT COUNTRY. “The pre-eminent country in education? Its phases are so exceedingly varied that it is difficult to cum it up, because one country has one thing and another country leads in cometliing else,” remarked' the In-spector-General. “There is hardly anything you can name, which you will not find as good in England as -anywhere else—somewhere. The -bestof anything in England would be difficult to -beat, but there is more uniformity in -Germany.” Is that due to a better method of administration ? “No; it is the effect of years and years of shaping the educational policy in accordance with an ideal originally agreed upon and adhered to. I am not going to put Germany in the pre-eminent place educationally, as many people do.” Or America ?

“No,” continued Mr Hogben. “We have more to learn from America than from Germany, and part of. the reason is because they have gone in for more suggestive works. There are a good many imitators of Germany in America, but the spirit :s not German; it is English. You may have a magnificent thing in Germany hut transplant it to New Zealand and it would break down.” ENGLISH SOCIAL CONDITIONS. “A" good many other things interested me,” explained Mr Hogben in reply to further questions. “I knew London very well years ago. and noticed -a great improvement there, and in fact in all the big -provincial cities-. There are better streets and fewer slums. Population has increased, greatly, hut- the slums have net -gone ; up in proportion. There are large numbers of unemployed, numbers which would shock us, -but it dkLnot stfike me as abnormal there. People who are engaged in work -among the poor recognise that the conditions are improving. Much of the pressure has been relieved -by the emigration to Canada. “Canada is tremendously advertised. You would say that Canada is over-advertised, for it ■ is ‘Canada, - Canada,’ everywhere. People seemed to take a gread deal of interest in New Zealand, and I did not encounter -much of the reported ignorance in regard to the Dominion. DISAPPEARANCE OF “GRAFT.” “One of the tilings -which interested me in America was the fact that they are undoubtedly getting rid of ‘graft.’ . This is evident even in New York, once its centre. You ask people who are its strongest- opponents, " and they say that, although tlie victory lus not been won, they are winning. Some of the indications of improved conditions are that public men, who could have been expected from their -associations to support corrupt administrations, are finding public opinion sufficiently strong t'o make,them independent in their attitude. When inquring the cost of school buildings, I frequently put a question to ascertain how much' went in ‘graft.’-md thus ascertain the net cost, which is higher than the New Zealand expenditure upon similar buildings.”