ACQUAINTING OUR PEOPLE WITH OUR PHYSICAL CONDITIONING STAFF AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS

 

From the time of the early boyhood of rik Luditig Jahn, the hero

of the German common people, physical fitness has been tremendously exercised as a
preparation for war. Jahn roamed the neighboring fields and forests, learned to
ride, swim and shoot, and explored every road and footpath leading to the surround-
ing German state. Jahn became a great soldier and a great fighter.

All nations have intensified their physical fitness prior to engaging in war. |
fhe United States of America alwa’ a peace loving nation, was decadent so far as
physical conditioning in their schools was concerned. Meany educators held to the
beliet that physical conditioning should be as elective as Latin, history, English
and Greek. Educators decried the compulsory side of physical quitiiodnn. stating
—e youth had a right to exercise ite Sadgunct go far as taking physical
exercise was concerned, while maintaining exactly the opposite attitude on mental
training. |

: ‘Therefore, the educators of America must share their responsibility Pex many :
of the physically unfit youth of our lend. So brillient a scholar as President
Robert M. Hutchins, facetiously stated, "When I feel the urge to exercize, I just
go and lie down and soon the urge an away. “ Suppose our sailors, soldiers,
and marines - when they have the urge to fight, would just go and lie down. Such
philosophy as that is erroneous as the inebriate who, before tilting the liquor
glass , said, "There are a thousand reasons why I should not drink this stuff, but

doggone if I can think of a single one of them just now.” Both are destructive

to the esprit de corps and the moral fabric of youth.