~ COPY

THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA
Department of Physical Education and Athletics
LINCOLN

February 27, 1942,

Dr. Forrest C,. Allen

Department of Physical Education
University of Kansas

Lawrence, Kansas

My dear Dr. Allen:

In reply to your inquiry of the 23rd, will say that we have not
as yet - and probably will not - greatly modify our physical education
program because of the war.

My philosophy of physical education needs has always been that
high physical efficiency is very important in peacetime as well as in
war and therefore we have not modified our program to conform with the
modern trends to the same extent that a great many other institutions
have and, consequently, our program without modification conforms pretty
well to the war emergency demand. To make clear just what I mean, I
take the liberty to quote from some material which Nelson Metcalf of the
University of Chicago is putting before the students of that institution,

He writes:

“For twenty years school and college physical education has been
geared for peace. Emphasis has been centered largely upon social outcomes,
recreational values, and the developing of interest and skill in leisure
time play activities useful throughout life, In time of war physical educ-
ation, like all education, must change its direction. It must be geared
for war." :

I think Metcalf's statement does indicate pretty well the modern
trend in many of ow colleges and universities, but I believe, in contrast
to the aims he mentions, our progrem is pretty well geared for war. We are
modifying our program to some extent and we are particularly putting on a
pretty vigorous campaign to try to encourage a much larger percent of our
students to avail themselves of the opportunities we offer to develop
physical fitness, etc. Specifically, some of the minor changes we are
making in our courses include the stressing of very vigorous calisthenics
work and gymnastic apparatus work to try to develop increased muscular
strength and agility. In our wrestling, we plan shortly to include some
Judo (Juisjit-su) and also quite a considerable amount of the work on
boneebreaking holds and other forms of wrestling that are barred in com-
petition, but which may be of value in war. We are also planning to in-
clude in our swimming classes instruction in swimming particularly in
full clothing and even getting military equipment from the Military Depart~
ment to teach swimming in full military wiform with pack, gun, etc, We
are urging the students to participate particularly in those activities