Hartwell, E: Physical Training in American Colleges and Univ

Excerpt from Physical Training in American Colleges and Universities

I am greatly indebted to the venerable Dr. George C. Shattuck, of Boston, who was a pupil at Round Hill, for the following account of the physical training pursued there: Dr. Beck, the teacher of Latin, afterward the professor of Latin in Harvard Uni versity, was the teacher Of gymnastics. A large piece of ground was devoted to the purpose and furnished with all the apparatus used in the German gymnasia. The whole school was divided into classes, and each class had an hour three times a week for instruction by Dr. Beck. At the same time there were a dozen riding horses and classes for riding three times a week. Gardens were assigned the boys, in which they raised plants and vegetables. A piece of land was set apart for building huts. Base ball, hockey, and foot-ball were the games. I remember playing in a match game at the time of the Presidential election in which Adams and Jackson were candidates. The Jackson boys beat. You notice how much was done for physical training. I remember Mr. Edward Everett speaking at an annual exhibition and telling us how much better a school, how much greater advantages we enjoyed than Mr. Cogswell and himself had at Exeter. Though the school had only an existence of twenty years or less, and failed from want of pecuniary support, I believe that its in¿uence has survived, and a great stimulus was given by it to the cause of education. Develop ing the bodily powers and strengthening the constitution were there first recognized as of great importance in the education of boys. The boys were very healthy. I only recall one death, from typhoid fever.

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