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time in the actual teaching of techniques and let our intramural progrom
provide the actual practice. Also from the students came the answer to
& number of other questions, The experts say that we develop character,
teach boys and girls to be good sports, and so forth. Do we do this?
One thousand three hundred eighty~three boys and girls in four difforent
high schools answered muy questions of this nature. A questionnaire
that was very carcfully prepared was given these boys and girls and it
was composed of forty reasons for taking gymmasium work, These reasons
ranged from "the development of a strong heart and ange" to "getting
out of a study hall",

Perry Were these questions asked directly, such as = why did you take
gym?

Lapp No, an indirect approach was usod and the questions read like this -
If you were trying to convince your best friend to take gym, which of
the following reasons would you use? Do not check any of the statements
that you do not bolicve. The students were not asked to sign their
papers so as to loave them froe to oxpress their opinions without the
fear of their teachers being able to cheek up. Additional space was
given for any reasons not listed. What do students expect to get out of
their gymnasium work? Boys expect some rather different things than do
the girls. Suppesing wo put 70% as a passing grade on this study and
discuss the itoms that have a composite rating of 70% or better by the
boys and the girls.

 

Perry Do you moan that 7 out of every 10 boys and girls voted for these
reasons for taking gymnasium classes?

Lapp Yes, that is the idea, and we find that the boys give 12 reasons
and the girls list only 4 items over 70%. The first reason listed for
the girls was "to teach you to be a good sport". This item was also
listed in the 70% items for the boys but was r ated 5th, Tho girls second
most popular reason was "to develop good posture". This was listed | as
number 9 for the boys. "To tegch cooperation by team work in games" was
listed 3rd for both the girls and the boys. The girls 4th and last 70%
item was "to give you a strong, well-doveloped body". To the boys "a
strong, well-developed body" was listed in the 2nd position. Dad, this
supports your idea about the boys being willing to work to tako care of
their physical strength. The other 70% reasons for the boys not provious=
ly mentioned are: listed first, "to develop a strong heart and good lungs";
listed fourth, "to build up your resistance to disease",

Perry Your influonza study montionod in last wook's broadcast would boar
out this reason,

Lapp Yos, it looks as if that wore truco. "To give you muscular veordin-
ation" was 6th; 7th was "to help you get in geod condition physically";
8th "to correct some of your physical defects"; 10th “to help you to bo-
como healthicr"; llth "to teach you to play tho game and thus be better
able to stand the gaff of later life"; and 12th “to teach you good physic-
al habits."