Southwest High School - Roundup Yearbook (St Louis, MO)

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WE DEVELOP OUI2 BODIES By RICHARD COHEN As a student goes through his four years at Southwest, his education comprises many different divisions. A main part of this training would natu- rally be the knowledge he obtains. There are, however, other parts to con- sider: his social contacts, his habits formed while attending school, the culti- vation of his mind, his participation in school activities, and, the part to be discussed here, his development of a strong and healthy body. All of these are important in the education of a student at Southwest. Yet someone might ask, Why is the development of a strong body important in a student's education? The answer to this question is indicated in the well known saying A sound mind in a sound body. People once accepted and believed in the equally familiar statement A strong back and a weak mind -that is, that athletes who did develop strong and healthy bodies were not as educated or as intelligent as others: or, on the other hand, that highly intellectual persons were necessarily Weak and frail. That this is a dangerous half truth is a well-known fact. We know now that the mind functions more eficiently in a healthy body than in a sick or weak one. Except in unusual cases, an unhealthy body has a direct effect upon the brain, decreasing its effectiveness and often distorting the individual's outlook on life. Although to develop a healthy body for the sake of a healthy mind is worth while in itself, there are other good reasons for watching one's health. A person who has completed his education with a strong body is fully prepared physically for life later on. One who is hampered by a weak or sickly body is under a distinct handicap all his life, and cannot be as prepared to support himself and others, or to make a success of his work. Even in securing a position, other qualiiications being equal, the applicant who is strong and healthy will have a marked advantage over the unhealthy one: no matter what the work is, he could not do his job as efficiently as his healthy competitor. The pleasure of being the owner of a strong, healthy body cannot be overlooked. It is generally true that healthy people are much happier, and enjoy themselves wherever they are much more than people handicapped by ailing bodies. A strong body makes working pleasant and playing more fun. How do we develop strong bodies at high school? The methods are both numerous and effective. One of the most important ways, since it is required of every student, is the work of the gymna- siumclasses. Generally, gymnasium is divided intotwo categories: the games and the gym- nastic lessons. The games not only exer- cise the muscles and organs of the body and keep the pupil out in the fresh air, but they also involve citizen- ship, the give and take aspect which teaches the pupils to live in harmony with other students. In the Fourteen b o P 9