Nappanee High School - Napanet Yearbook (Nappanee, IN)

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but requires less physical exertion. The increased amount of time spent in school lessens t lie amount of exercise of the race. In 1840 only eleven per cent of the population of the United States was in schools, while in 18 »0 twenty-three per cent was enrolled in the schools. Since 1840 the length of tlie school year lias been doubled. This not only lessens exercise but increases confinement. The natural environment which has been making the present shape and function of the human body for ages past, no longer exists. The ordinary requirements of daily life in general no longer furnish sufficient muscular activity to keep the body in the best health. Therefore, it seems that careful attention to the matter of our environment in the way of providing for regular, systematic exercise daily in the interests of health lias become necessary. The comforts of modern life mean increased human weight and stature if they are not permitted to crowd out the other things necessary for one's health. Hall has proven this by a comparison of the children produced by the factory population with the children of parents in general. The same lias been proven in England by a comparison of the boys of tlie better classes with boys in the industrial schools. Kev. I)r. George Meylan of Columbia University, having made a careful study of tin effects of rowing and other sports on college athletes, believes that the athletes do not die in their early years of heart disease or consumption: that hard training, even practicing for and rowing in inter-collegiate races, does not dull the mind and physical energy of the participants, for they have greater success in after life than any class of men yet investigated. The oarsmen studied were so healthy that if rowing had any effect on their health, it was beneficial. Sucli forms of bodily exercise as the inter-institutional athletic sports are often criticised because of an occasional death or permanent injury, as it is thought unnecessary that these lives should be last. People forget that lives must be sacriliced to secure any great good to humanity. They do not realize that many lives have been greatly benefited in the effort that occasionally harms or cripples a life. This evidence shows that insufficient attention paid to provide opportunities for play, movement and exercise results in the stoppage of physical development short of complete realization: that mere play and exercise, under the conditions of modern life, are insufficient, if the physical powers of the individual are developed harmoniously. The schools have been made attractive and cleaner but more is to be done. The studies of Porter, Hastings, and Beyer show that tiie boy ranks higher in mental work whose body is well developed: that physical exercise increases the height and weight of children, and that children of the same age are able to do school work in din cl latio to their physical development in height and weight. It is the duty of the school, therefore, to respond to this demand so that there will be no undeveloped children and children “behind in their si udies because of the lack of physical exercise, and so that the dull pupils may reacli the highest efficiency possible through systematic exercise. 14

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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

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CLAYTON BLESSING Clayton, the Blessing of the class of 1907, was born .July 29, 1887, one mile north and one mile west of Nappanee. To him certainly belongs great credit for his continuing his education at all costs. lie linished his grade work in the country and entered the Nappanee high school where he has obtained the highest grades in everything. He certainly appreciates the advantages of an education and is drinking deep from the fountain of learning. He has a great future of possibilities before him.