Nappanee High School - Napanet Yearbook (Nappanee, IN)

Page 13 text:

 GRACE NEFF Grace, the poet of the class of 1907, was l)orn July 22, 1888, two and one-half miles south-east of Nappanee. She finished the grades and will soon finish high school in a very creditable manner. She never causes the teachers any trouble as to grades and deportment. She is an energetic member of the 1907 class and stands for advancement and success. She is a rising poet and no doubt will continue her future education in some university. We wish her splendid success.

Page 15 text:

ahr Ualitr uf fUjijmrai ©ratutng tit ffluiimt Efouratunt By GRACE NEFF )CIETY is under the responsibility of obtaining for every child, as far as possible, the most healthful realization of his physical powers without hindering his intellectual or spiritual development. Of tliis phase of society’s problem I)r. Muenchen-berger said, ‘ Tlie sole aim of the gymnastic art is the harmonious development of the body in such a manner that the smallest part, itself and for itself, as well as in conjunction with the whole, is able to actualize and execute the mind's will.” Society must soon begin to realize this because of its knowledge of the physical unfolding of the human being as he is today, and because of the principles and laws, as known today to which the human physical development is subject. The human body is as it is today because of heredity, food and environment. Then if one wishes to obtain his ultimate size, shape, strength and capacity lie must obey the laws of health in respect to diet, exercise, sleep, exposures, overstrain and climate and the way in which lie uses the forces of ids life. According to the best thinkers and scholars of evolution man’s present efficiency and rank in the animal kingdom is the result of his struggle with primitive conditions against animals, forests, plants, streams, war. Strength met strength and the force and energy necessary to clear the forests, navigate the streams, tight tlie ferocious animals and battle against the opponents, has given energy and strength to humanity in return for it’s effort. It is an established principle that if some part of tiie l ody is not employed there is a change of structure. A man with a right arm which is proportional in strength and size to the remainder of his body soon notices a marked development in tlie strength and size of ids arm if he becomes a blacksmith. Glass-blowers’ lungs have been found to be well developed. It is believed that rowing and boxing lengthen the arms, that skating effects the feet in the same way. while swimming broadens them, and that heavy lifting shortens the legs and widens the feet. In tlie case of horses it lias been found that, when a horse does heavy work his bones become much heavier offering more surface on the ridges to fasten tlie stronger muscles. Then if the muscles in any part of the body have no work to do for some time, because of a sprain or a broken bone, they become smaller, have less strength and are not so quick or accurate to respond to demands made upon them. It is thought that the thin legs and thick arms of the Payaguas Indians are due to lhe fact that they lived almost wholly in caves for many generations, doing most of the work with their arms while the lower ex- tremities were motionless. It has also been observed that the Arymaras have long bodies, large chests, and short arms and legs because of living for generations at great elevations where the atmosphere was rare. The' size and strength of the human body are influenced by employment, even the posture and general attitude are influenced in the same way. The coal-heaver develops the muscles of his back but lie gradually becomes stooped as lie works on from day to day and from year to year in the same position. The cobbler becomes stooped for the same reason. Darwin and many such authorities agree that man as he is today, his stature, carriage, size and strength, is tiie result of ids environment during the many years of succeeding ages. The conditions in which we live are as effective for the improvement or injury as those have been during the preceding ages to which the race lias been subject. Exercise has contributed a large part in human experience. That the human organism has been and is still adapted to muscular exercise is shown by the proportion of the muscular system and by the fact that the lungs and heart have more capacity than is demanded in a large sedentary life. Many authorities say that unless progress is to stop, we must continue the same fundamental movements and exercise during our lives as have brought man to his present state of efficiency. During tiie entire life of the race, muscular exercise has been necessary and is demanded today, if we keep our acquired health, strength and power under the conditions of modern civilization. in these days of division of labor and in this age of machinery and time saving devices, these demands for exercise must be directed in the school, or some other appropriate agency, because civilization is taking away these demands compelling physical exercise. In tiie United States the proportion of steam power to manual labor is represented by a steam engine of eleven and one-half horse-power to every male adult inhabitant, tiie greater part of the heavy work being done by machinery instead of by human muscles. The more civilized a community, the more rapid is muscular work decreasing. The management of machinery demanding muscular skill and intelligence rather than muscular force. The farm furnishes constant labor and exercise, although it is made much easier by machinery; but those who labor indoors as bank clerks, bookkeepers, operators of machines, etc., have entirely too little exercise and physical labor. The telegraph, telephone, newspaper and such devices for rapid communication increase the amount of business that can be transacted 13