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RaDIO PROGRAM
PHYSICAL EDUCATION FOR HEALTH
January 6, 1938

"BASKETBALL'S PLACE IN THE PHYSICAL EDUCATION PROGRAM"

Dre Naismith, we have chosen for our subject of discussion tonight
"Basketball's Place in the Physical Education Program". Since you:
originated basketball and since you were trained in the pioncer school

of physical education, namely Springfield, Mass. Y.M.eC.A. College,

it scems to me that this subject is an cspecially fitting one on which
you can speak authoritatively. Do you think, Dr. Noismith, there is a
danger of the physical educator today neglecting the body-building part
of physical education and depending entirely on games for a system of
physical education? This, of course, has reference to basketball as well
as some of the other games.

Absolutely yos! A great many of our physical educstors are looking at it
from the standpoint of the interest of the authoritics and of spectators,
rather than of benefit that can come to the boy, and a good many of these
physical educators have been brought up and have received their appoint-
ments largely because of their ability in playing games rather than in
their technical knowledge of the development of manhood.

Dr. Naismith, I find myself agreeing with you very emphatically in this
statement. However, I can also see how an export in the games would have
a basic knowledge of a particular sport. This exceptional knowledge and
splendid skill thet he has developed in the sport is only symtomatic of
his interest in the larger program of play and physical education. Most
of these coaches who are now teaching physical education undoubtedly had
a basic yoarning for play in physical ocducation. This, of course, caused
them to continue their study to the point where they specialized in their
life's work.

Dr. Allon, don't think for a moment that I do not appreciate the skill
that these boys get in learning a game and in devoting their timo to it,
-Both the fundamentals and the mechanism of the game; but I do lament theo
ignorance of a lot of our directors of physical education in tho real
scicnce of developing the boy inta a mane Take, for instance, a man who
had been appointed to head the physical education in a city of 80,000,
who came to me and told mo he didn't know a single thing about anything
but football and basketball, and he wondered if I could help him out in
meking out a program. It is the employment by principals of men of this
type that has practically done away with the realy physical cducation
program. I was very glad, as I visited your gymnasium the other morning,
Dr. Allen, to sce the large class of majors who are beginning at the bot-
tom and learning the gymnastic side as well as the recreative side of the
development of the body. Now you sre developing the men who are going out
to head departments of physical education. Is your program, as it is ar-
ranged at the present timo, comprehensive so as to include all these dif-
ferent parts?