Thank you for correcting the text in this article. Your corrections improve Papers Past searches for everyone. See the latest corrections.

This article contains searchable text which was automatically generated and may contain errors. Join the community and correct any errors you spot to help us improve Papers Past.

Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image

PHYSICAL CULTURE.

Pioneer Work In the Schools. A Plea for State Recognition. Mr R. O. Jarrett has decided to give a lecture and demonstration in reference to Physical Culture in the Masonic Hall, on Wednesday, March 27th, prior to forming classes in Foxton. We hope to see large attendances both at the men’s and women’s demonstrations.

We clip the following from last Friday’s issue of the Wanganui Chronicle

“Be strong—and fear not!” That to my mind is a good motto for men and for nations. Do not misunderstand me. I do not put muscle before brain, wisdom before weight. Not at all. My ideal is a sound mind in a strong body, a wholly well developed human, possessed to the fullest measure of the mental qualities of a Solomon and the physical prowess of a Sampson. Yes, I like the Soloraon-Sampson combination: it suggests strength, power, conquest —the crowning glory of perfect manhood. Are we, as a people, striving after this admirable and honourable ideal ? We chatter glibly enough of our Imperial;.responsibilities. We are immensely patriotic in our professions. We spend incalculable time in devising, and in discussing with much warmth, theoretical propositions of political moment. Our object, so we say, is to consolidate the British Empire, to maintain the supremacy of the British people. We are proud of our traditions and pleased with our prospects. Just so. But what are we doing to perpetuate the sturdy stamina, the moral grit, and the physical endurance, which enabled our forefathers to build up those traditions? Prating about fiscal tariffs and political expediencies, forsooth, the while we permit the physical deterioration of the race.

Yet it is upon the race, more than upon all the political inventions that have been or can be thought of, that the welfare of the Empire must depend. If we would fear not we must be strong. What sort of a New Zealander will it be, think you, who shall fulfil Macauley’s prohecy? I tell you that unless we seek strength, unless we cultivate it more assiduously and systematically .than we are doing to-day, the chances are that our representative on Eondon Bridge will be a pigmy, little if any better in stature than an underfed jockey. The truth is that while we are looking after our sheep and cattle we are letting the race slide. In our schools we cram the minds and cramp the bodies of our children. And it isn’t paying. It is costing us more in vitality than we can afford to lose. We are producing Rhodes certainly, and brilliant feho but you need only visit any one of the larger schools of the colony to see what a lot of weeds are growing up with the flowers. That’s the pity of it. We want to knock some of the frills out of the syllabus to make room for the good wholesome slice of invigorating physical culture. Eocally we are more lucky than folks in other parts of the colony. I’m speaking of the Wanganui district as a whole. Thanks to Mr R. O. Jarrett, physical culture has got its nose into some of our schools, and the Board has recognised its value. It is a pity there are not a few more Jarretts in the colony. It would be good for the kiddies, H@ has been working for years in a patriotic endeavor to secure from the educational authorities a proper recognition of the value of physical culture—and he is going to succeed. If he does, and history is fair, his achievement will not go unrecorded. I remember away back in 1902, when the famous Eugen Sandow was in Wanganui, how delighted he was with a team of State school boys which Mr Jarrett (who was then widely recognised as an exponent of the Sandow system) submitted for his inspection. The great physical culturist was proud of his pupil, spoke in the highest terms of praise of his work, and encouraged him to persevere with his self-imposed task. Wanganui has reason to be proud of many things, but not the least of these is the fact that a son of her’s was the originator of the Sandow system of breathing exercise for school children in the colony. Already the beneficient effect of his influence is being felt iq other parts of the colony, and it is tp be hoped that the time is now not far distant yfjiep the reform for which he has so strenuously laboured will receive official ap.proyal and physical training become an established and essential feature of our education system. Be it understood that Mr Jarrett’s efforts have not gone unappreciated. The Wanganui Education Board is keenly alive to the value of his services, and has done all in its power to encourage him. But the Board has no funds wherewith to promote |the good work. So far the Department has regarded physical culture as a thing not worth paying for, and consequently it has been impossible for the Board to have it systematically taught in the schools. It has remained to Mr Jarrett to give his services free, to labour as it were for love, and to rest content with the approval of his fellow citizens and the gratitude of parents and children. As for Sandow, he seems never to be tired of praising his New Zealand disciple, as all who subscribe to the magazine of the cult must know.

gijt to driye hoifle is this; that it is time the State awakened to the vital importance of the doctrine which Mr Jarrett has so long been preaching, time

that the health of the people and the physical well-being of the whole community became the primary consideratio of our statesmen, and time that all in authority recognised that if we are to build up a really strong people we must begin in the schools.

Elderly people suffer much from rheumatism, gout, sciatica, and lumbago. Rhkumo quickly cures by driving out the excess uric acid from the blood AIIJ stores and chemists, 2/G and 4/6. You just try it. Recommended by the Medical Faculty—WOLFE’S SCHNAPPS. Rheumatism can be cured—then why will you continue to suffer. Rhkujio has effected wonderful cures for others, after all else had failed. It will cure you. Try it.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/MH19070319.2.23

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 3762, 19 March 1907, Page 3

Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,045

PHYSICAL CULTURE. Manawatu Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 3762, 19 March 1907, Page 3

PHYSICAL CULTURE. Manawatu Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 3762, 19 March 1907, Page 3

Help

Log in or create a Papers Past website account

Use your Papers Past website account to correct newspaper text.

By creating and using this account you agree to our terms of use.

Log in with RealMe®

If you’ve used a RealMe login somewhere else, you can use it here too. If you don’t already have a username and password, just click Log in and you can choose to create one.


Log in again to continue your work

Your session has expired.

Log in again with RealMe®


Alert