Joseph Le Conte Middle School - Le Contean Yearbook (Hollywood, CA)

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How a Nez Perce Indian Runner Trains 9 HERE are few who can beat the American Indians in long- , distance running. The Indianls activity and power of endur- ' ance is wonderful. There are certain of the native tribes E noted for their feats in running, and of them all the Nez E 1 Perce Indians are the most famous. I will tell one well- known feat of a Nez Perce runner. On one occasion he 1 ' Q chased his ame for sixt miles over mountains and across g Y was: om-as canyons, and, having come to the wise conclusion that it was too dark to make a satisfactory kill, calmly ran home again. His credit as a runner went up after that chase. It was his training that had given him stamina to do it. No runner has to undergo a stiffer treatment than the Nez Perce. He has to do many things that would make a Hpalefacel' wince. The Indian knows the way to build up wonderful strength, speed and toughness of body. A hut is built of willow branches, plastered thick with mud. Blankets cover a small door. Inside, near the door, is a round hole, which, at the proper time is filled with white-hot stones. He begins in October with a cold bath taken at an early hour in the morning. As soon as he has had his plunge in ice-cold water, he runs to the hut, where the hole has now been filled with the white-hot stones. He drops the curtain of blankets, and pours onto the stones warm water, placed inside the hut for him. He sits in this vapor bath as long as it is hot. He then runs out and has another plunge in the ice-cold water. An hour or so later, after a very light meal, he repeats all of this, and again at dusk a similar course is taken. After the youth has trained in this way for three months, one of the old and noted runners tests the beginner's strength. He makes him leap at a given signal out of the hut, run to a certain tree, and grip hold of a certain overhead limb. This is the important test. The young runner has to cling to the bough by his hands until told to drop. If he lets go before ordered, he is sent back to the ordeal of training again. If he hangs until the signal is given, he is given short runs night and morning in the company of practiced runners to the length of three, four, five, and six miles, and little by little the distance is increased until he is fit for thirty or forty miles without a halt. It has been said that the Nez Perce Indians are the survivors of the famous post-runners of the Aztec empire, whom the Spanish conquers ravaged. TOM VVALL, A9. My Farewell VVe have been friends Though now you are leaving For six long years, And the time passes fast, We've had our joys, I'l1 not be grieving, We've had our tears. For our friendship will last. MARGL'ER1TE BELL, B9. I 641

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The Olympic Games The Olympic Games are founded on the customs of ancient people. The first Olympic Games were national festivals, celebrated at intervals of four years in honor of Zeus, the father of the gods, on the plains of Olympia. Almost all countries entered their best athletes in the games. VVhen the first games took place, they lasted five days. The earliest and most important event was a short foot race of about two hundred yards. This was the one and only event from 776 to 728 B. C. There were later introduced at different intervals other events. A long race, or marathon, of twenty-four miles, wrestling, the pentathlon, an all-round contest in running. leaping. throwing the discus and the javelin, chariot racing, horse racing, boys' contests in running and field events, and the foot race in heavy armor. Best of all sports the Romans liked the chariot race. Only free-born Greeks were allowed to compete until the period of Roman domination, then the games became cosmopolitan in character. The prizes were wreaths from the sacred olive supposed to have been planted by Hercules. The reward was nothing in itself, but the victor obtained later a very handsome sum of money from his city. The Olympic Games were forbidden and discontinued by Emperor Adrian during the fourth century, but were revived again in 1896 after a lapse of about fifteen hundred years. During the past thirty years since the Olympic Games were revived, the United States of America has retained the international cham- pionship. The games were revived and held in the following cities: Athens in 18965 Paris, 1900, St. Louis, 19045 Athens, 1906, London, 19085 Stockholm, 1912. The latest international Olympic Games were held in Paris, France, during May, June, and july in the year 1924. Ninety-eight of the Olympic medals awarded were given to the United States-forty-five for first places, twenty-six for second places, and twenty-seven for third places. Finland was second with thirty-seven first places, France third with thirty-six first places, and Great Britain fourth with thirty-one first places. American athletes won eight championships-track and field, rowing, swimming, tennis, boxing, wrestling, target shooting, and rugby. Besides these sports, fencing, golf, polo. horse racing, riding, water polo, and yacht racing were introduced. In 1912 a prize for sculpture was awarded to VValter VVinans of the United States for his model of a horse and sulky. Paavo Nurmi was the star of the entire meet. He won four individual championships, two in one day, and also won for himself the name of the greatest long-distance runner the world has ever known. The winter sport section of the Olympic Games was held at Chamoix, France, the following December in 1924. Norway took first place, Finland second, Great Britain third, and the United States fourth. The polo cup was won by Argentina, while Norway won the six-meter yacht race. The next Olympic Games will be held in 1928 in Holland. and in 1932 Los Angeles expects to be hostess to the athletes. NORMAN BRAXDHIOHN BROVVN,A9. I 65 1