Kansas Health and Physical Education Association
February, 19359

Vol. VIII

Bulletin No. 5

Capacity Use of School Gymnasiums

By
Miss Eva Lyman, Kansas State College, Manhattan,
Member of Committee on Physical Education Curriculun,
Kansas Health and Physical Education Association.

As members of the Committee on Physical
Education Curriculum for Kansas we have
made a study of more and better ways we
can use our old and new gymnasiums. Are we
getting full benefit of our gymnasium? Is
our community deriving benefits in propor=
tion to the money spent on its gymnasium?
We have heard citizens express definite
opinions on the place of a gymnasium in
community life. Is our gymnasium opera-
ting on a full time schedule for the enjoy-
ment, growth and improvement of all in its
neighborhood?

Why is physical education important? |
It is a health and character builder.
Health is the first objective in education.
Physical education builds and maintains it.
The findings of a committee of the Ameri~
can Medical Association state that growing
boys and girls need four to five hours of
out door exercise daily. Adults require
activity, too. Physical education has the
mediums for influencing character. It af-
fords favorable conduct situations. It
may promote social hygiene by affording
activities in which boys and girls may
take part together. It can be a factor in
teaching safety. Physical education
should teach each student at least one
game that can be played in later life with
enjoyment. <A trained physical educator
should bring the highest type of leader~
ship to our school and community.

We know we need physical education in
the schools? What about recreation for
the fathers and mothers in our community
after school hours. How many adults in
your community have you sold physical ed-
ucation to? How many families in our com-
munity know how to play together? How
many do? Do the adults understand the de-
sire of their children for play? Do these
same children ever see father and mother
play?

Many parents do not know what physical
education is. Physical education is more
than basketball. Basketball is a fine
thing, but it is an important spoke in a
large wheel. Activities for girls include
gymnastic drills, marching, rhythm, soccer,
or speed ball, soft ball, tumbling, pyra-
mids, basketball, volley ball, skating, ~

social games, games of low organization,
tennis, table tennis, hiking and correc-
tives for those who need special posture
work. In addition the boys may have
track and field, wrestling, boxing,
touch football, and football in the
larger schools, Some smaller high
schools have dropped competitive foot-
ball. It meant too big a strain on the
few boys participating in it. Many of
these activities do not require equip-
ment. Others require only a ball.
Tonnis courts could be constructed by
the boys and their father in available
spaces. Much equipment can be made by
men and boys with very little expense.
Are we easily discouraged when there is
no money for new things?

Do we offer co-recreation one day a
week as part of our program? The boys
and girls wear ordinary street dress
for this class, with only a change to
tennis shoes. This is our best labora-
tory for teaching the social graces,

How we need them! Participation in suit.
able, supervised games during adolescence:
will develop a normal social life. Boys
and girls must be taught how to assume
responsibilities when they grow up, We
must provide opportunities for working
and playing together in a matter of fact
way. In the opinion of a social hygiene
expert, one of the chief reasons for di-
voree and desertion is that husbands and
wives have never learned to play togeth-
er, A well trained physical director
for boys and another for girls can teach
these classes,

What do we do with the students who
must remain during the noon hour? They
naturally gravitate toward the gymnasium.
What do we offer them? There should be
an organized program, ping pong or other
recreational sports; tournaments for hom
rooms in volley ball or other games; or
games of low organization such as dodge
ball,

Do we close our gymnasium after schoo.
Or is it used by boys and girls for intr:
mural sports? Are we offering any oppor-
tunity for tournaments among school grou
in minor sports? Do we encourage school