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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (July 27, 1902)
Gymnastic Exercises and the Public Schools " t j AS C;j :-i W V;, "J X V i ..n , t. ,; k 1 .. ' i v J:i - , .; " I'1 r .. . .. k, - f CLASS OF THE OLDER GIRLS. I 1 "7 V - V r AT v v 1 v w. i - ... . " o G & U SOME OF THE YOUTHFUL GYMNASTS. CADET COMPANY AT DRILL. 'V' 14 j ' i j . . - . f -if m t i 1 ! rl-.--.- M i j ... ' i s ... 5 "PASSING SOMERSAULT," A DIFFICULT FEAT. DOLL DRILL BY LITTLE GIRLS. 6" -lLtH na been tald and written of yj I late on "How can we prevent the mgn acnooi irom last becoming a young-ladlea' seminary?" How to Induce more bova to take tha High school course la. Indeed, a aerlous Question. Fully believing that the student should begin his physical education In the public school Instead of the college or unl-' verslty and hoping that such training would at least offer a partial solution of the above I question, the principal and grammar in structor of the Elgin public schools at El gin, Neb., decided during the spring ol 1901 to Inaugurate a thorough system of gymnastic training for use during the school year Just passed. No two school men In the state were be ter fitted than they to successfully carry ut an undertaking of this character In a town of only 600 Inhabitants. The principal had made something of a specialty of ad vanced gymnastics and class exrri. tn. years, while his co-worker had an excellent knowledge of class gymnastics and was also well versed In military tacUcs, having served In the Spanish-American war. It was known that a new school building for Elgin would be a necessity of the near fu ture and the Instructors hoped that the results of the year's labors might Justify the building committee in making the slight additional expense of constructing a well lighted and ventilated basement to be used as a gymnasium and for the ordinary games and pastimes of childhood when se vere winter weather should compel all to siajj wunin doors.. It was argued that If military drill Is' a good thing In the schools of Kearney, Lincoln and Omaha It must also prove, beneficial In - such schools as hat of Elgin, only U a lesser degree. To aliform and equip a cadet company In a town smaller by far thf n any town In the state having such an organization was no easy undertaking, but after a public meet ing to which all parents interested were Invited and much persuasive logic by the boys, a company of twenty-three was or ganized and equipped at an expense of ON HORIZONTAL BARS. $2G0, all of which was borne by the mem bers. The school board was induced to vote (35 for apparatus, and the Instructors, running the risk of making a public enter tainment pay for additional appliances and the current expenses of the gymnastic work, rented and purchased outright close onto $100 worth of apparatus, so that a large share of tno equipment of a well regulated gymnasium was provided. At first none but the boys were given gym nastic work, but the mothers, quickly noticing the marked effect, of the training on the health, strength and carriage of their sons, soon asked that their daughters might also be allowed to take gymnastics, and after due consideration It was decided to organize classes for the girls after the Christmas holidays. The cadeta drilled on Tuesdays nd Fridays from 4 o'clock until 6, while the gymnastic work proper waa from 7 to 9 o'clock on the evenings of the same days, the small boys being required to come from 7 to 8 o'clock and the large boys from to 9 o'clock. "JOB-, SIX EXPERT ATHLETES. The first part of each session was taken up with class exercises In dumbbells and Indian clubs and the latter half was given up to Individual work ion the various ma chines. By Christmas time much real prog ress bad been - made and the Instructors were able to assign each lad "to the work he could do best for the public entertain ment to be given at the close of the win ter term. At this time the girls were as signed to classes, the, primary girls taking Juvenile drills and marches, the interme diate girls taking light gymnastics without apparatus and with wooJeu rings, and the girls from the grammar and high school departmenta taking the exercises with wands and Indian clubs. By having the work for the girls come after. 4 o'clock on alternate days, all classes were able to meet twice a week. The Instructors had to devote ten hours a week to the various classes, but bo pupil waa required to give more than from two to three hours per week to the work. Aside from the regulation gymnasium shoe, the boys, not doing advanced athletic work, used no special costume for their work. The small girls used a neat costume of white material, while the larger girls used a blue Cannel suit made sailor atyle, with short skirt and trimmed with whlto braid. The advanced athletes used worsted tights made for them by a New York costumer. An elaborate souvenir program with Illustrations of the performers and their work was prepared for the entertainment which was given to large audiences on the evenings of April 18 and 19. Tho enter tainments attracted more than local In terest and the gross receipts, $180, went much beyond what had been hoped for. The claas exercises and drills were ex ceptionally well executed and the charac ter of the advanced gymnastics was of a quality seldom seen outside of a city gymnasium. On the horizontal bar, the kip-up. hock swing, French whirl, giant awing, and (Continued on Seventh Page.)
