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as may be involved. This can be best accomplished through the strengthening of physical and
health education programs in terms of time, space, and purposeful teaching devoted to them
rather than through a drastic alteration ‘of content.

It is reasonable for the colleges to add to their physical and health education pro-—
grams the instruction and activities designed to meet special objectives which are important
of attainment in the national war effort. It is the purpose of this report to include in its
suggestions for the physical and health education programs in liberal arts colleges recom—
mendations for meeting these special wartime needs.

The preamble to this report sets forth the basis for physical education in a democracy
in both peace and wartimes. For war preparation, however, certain specific activities are
included in the recommendations for physical education’ and health instruction which have mean-—
ing only in wartime. The reader must note this important fact.

Physical Examination and Rehabilitation

A college program designed to help men to be better prepared for their entrance into.
military service must take into account the physical status of these men. In truth no part
of the college program can proceed with greatest effectiveness unless knowledge of the in—
dividual student's physical status is obtained at the beginning of his college career. Not
only must the physical education people lean heavily on this information for the planning of
their program, but all other departmental personnel will be able to plan the student's pro—
gram more effectively with him if this information is available to them. .

For the college to raise the level of fitness of college men for military service it-
_is necessary to do more than find out about their physical status. It is necessary to change
for the better any conditions which may be causes for rejection from military service or
factors likely to lessen their efficiency as members of the armed forces. What is the re—
sponsibility of the college in this matter?

The figures on causes of rejection of men from military service point to the large
number who were refused because of physical or mental defects, a large number of which were
correctible and certainly preventable at some time in the individual's life. One well may
ask whether or not the college is responsible for the defectiveness of its students? The
answer is simply, "No."

There is nothing in the curriculum of the college which states that the student must
be free from physicaldefects at the time of his graduation nor at any time during his career
as an undergraduate. The college does not require the student with a hernia to have it
corrected. The college does not insist that the student with carious teeth have them repaired,
nor does it see to it that the young man with defective vision obtains means for overcoming the
deficiency. There are some physical bases for refusing students admittance to college but
these keep out a very small number. Students with active tuberculosis, or with extremely
serious heart defects, or with a highly contagious disease generally are not admitted to the
college. The physical conditions which serve as a basis for refusing a boy admittance to
college are low in the order of those reasons for rejecting men from military service.
Students have at entrance to college many of the physical defects which later are causes
for their rejection from the Army or Navy. It is true that some defectiveness is acquired
by men during their college years. They may be injured in sports or in otherways, suchas in
automobile accidents. They are subject to the attack of serious infectious diseases. They
may become mentally unstable. They may neglect the care of their teeth or they may abuse
their eyes. On the other hand some students have their defects remedied or corrected while
they are in college.