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the proper course to follow. These activities center around the Schwert Bill

(H.R. 1074), the Committee Report on the Contribution of College Health and Physical
Education to National Preparedness, the Committee Report of the National Americanism
Commission of the American Legion, the activities of the American Social Hygiene
Association, and the National Defense Commission of the Benevolent Protective Order
of Elks. The government, also, has been active in similar matters. Mr. Paul V.
McNutt has been appointed National Coordinator of Health and Welfare by President
Roosevelt. As a part of the project of the National Roster of Scientific and
Specialized Personnel, registration of the recreational leaders of the country is
now in progress. Doubtless other organizations, and numerous institutions and
persons have initiated projects intended to aid the government in its efforts to
place the country on a sound military footing.

From the standpoint of education probably the most important projects now
under way are the Schwert Bill, the College Physical Education Association program,
the American Legion program, and the activities of the American Social Hygiene
Association. The various projects sponsored by the government probably have not
gained enough impetus to make themselves felt on any national scale, although some
50 regional directors of recreation are now actually at work in the field.

It would be a matter of repetition to outline in detail the provisions of
the programs of the four organizations mentioned above since they have already been
well publicized. The Schwert bill provides for a federal appropriation of funds
for school health, physical education and recreation, and for school camps under the
control and operation of state and local school officials. The bill was opposed by
many on the grounds that it gave an opportunity for federal control of at least one
phase of education. Objections were also raised by camping and public recreation
groups for obvious reasons. Many people believed that the amount of money to be
appropriated was too large. There were objections, also, to the manner in which the
funds were to be allotted to the various states. Limiting aid in teacher education
work to state supported institutions brought forth objections. Medical people
claimed that the bill fostered the federal subsidization of medicine. Last December
changes were made in the original bill which satisfied most of the legitimate
objections to it and it was reintroduced in Congress on January 3, 1941. Just what
progress it is making is uncertain at this time. The recent and unfortunate death
of Mr. Schwert has left the bill without a sponsor. Certainly it will find difficult
going, not alone for this reason, nor because it lacks desirability, but because it
is likely to be crowded off the calendar by other pressing defense measures. The
Committee of the American Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation
is continuing to bend every effort to effect the passage of the measure.

The Report of the Committee on the Contribution of College Health and
Physical Education to National Preparedness is a document which confirms and re-
endorses the already existing programs in our colleges and universities. Since
colleges enroll young men of military age, it seems that this particular level of
education can make a greater immediate contribution to national preparedness than
the secondary school. This report recommends in essence thot we simply redouble
our efforts to teach a varied program of health, physical education and recreation,
and to make more efficient our health examination, and follow-up procedures. for
those students who are soon to enter the service it is suggested that a more formal-
ized program, on an elective basis, might well be offered which will provide
opportunities for the student to learn the rudiments of marching, hiking, condition-
ing, military hygiene, first aid, and other things of immediate military value.
This course, however, should be the responsibility of the Reserve Officer Training
Corps if there is such a unit on the campus. In this case the department of
physical education should cooperate with it in every possible manner. The point is
also emphasized that the college department should provide opportunities for young