Springfield College - Massasoit Yearbook (Springfield, MA)

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Doctor McCurdy was a graduate student in physiology of exercise at Harvard Medical School in 1896 and 1900, and since 1903 has lectured on this subject at the Harvard Summer School. In 1907 he received his master’s degree in physical education here and became an honorary graduate of the Sargent Normal School. Taking a year’s graduate work at Clark University, he received his A. M. in 1909. In 1911 he was made director of the physical edu- cation course here. Doctor McCurdy is, of course, a member of numerous physical education societies, some of which are the Academy of Physical Education, the Physical Directors’ Society of the Young Men s Christian Association of North America, College Physical Directors’ Society, Society tor the Study of Athletics. He is also a delegate to the National Collegiate Association. As a young man Doctor McCurdy found public speaking an impossibility, and there were people who said that he never would be able to speak in public, but as in all things he plugged at it until now difficulty in this respect is entirely foreign to him. He has also done much original work in physical education. In 1901 he and Mr. Bowne compiled the “Decimal Classification for Physical Training.” In 190; ' ) he published his “Bibliography of Physical Training,” which has been continued by Messrs. Bridges and Affleck. “Adolescent Changes in Heart Rate and Blood Pressure” was the title of his degree thesis at Clark. He has also been Editor of the American Physical Education Review since 1906, and Secretary of the Asso- ciation since 1907. Doctor McCurdy played on the tennis and baseball teams while a student here, and was a member of the New York University football team while studying there. The following are some of the leading men in physical education who were members of his leaders’ corps at the Twenty-Third Street Y. M. C. A.: Dr. G. L. Meylan of Columbia; Dr. Wm. Skarstrom of Wellesley; Dr. Louis Welzmiller of West Side Y. M. C. A., New York; and Mr. Anton Schatzel, Director of Physical Training in the public schools at Monongahela, Pa. And were there space, many other names might be given of men who entered the profession thru his influence. Doctor and Mrs. McCurdy have two children: Hugh Graham, aged 13, and Elizabeth Evelyn, aged 6. One of the things which stands out plainly in Doctor McCurdy is his great determination. This is evidenced by the way in which he plodded thru almost every bit of his education. To-day he is recognized as one of the leading American authorities on physical education. There is another characteristic which he is continually impressing upon the students in the classroom, on track, field and floor, and that is his interest in physical education as a basis for the develop- ment of character and high moral qualities producing the highest type of Christian manhood. He has received many calls to other fields, but each time has decided to continue his work in the training of Christian Directors of Physical Education. As a football coach he has rounded many a green group of men into a perfect team, and more than once has sprung a surprise in the football world thru the showing our team h as made. The Springfield-Carlisle game last fall is an illustration. Doctor McCurdy is a man of enthusiasm, energy and influence; just, loving and sym- pathetic to one and all

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gianicc Ijwff SPcCurbv, 31.99., 99.©., 99.1 .C ‘V Man!- — a riyht true man however, 1 Vko»t work is worthy a man ' s endeavor. T IS with great respect, admiration and love that we dedicate this book to the Director of Physical Education at Old Springfield. A review of the life of Dr. McCurdy is a great inspiration to the youth of to-day who faces natural diffi- culties in the attainment of success. James Huff McCurdy was born in the country town of Princeton, Maine, on December 2, 18(i(i. He received a public school education here, graduating from high school as well. After securing his diploma he went to Milltown, New Brunswick, Canada, where he worked in a mill during th e winter. He then returned to Princeton and took up farming for a year. Later he went to Bangor, Maine, where he found employment in the foundry of a carriage-smith where he worked a year. On his twenty-first birthday he accepted a position in the Young Men’s Christian Asso- ciation of Bangor. His official duties in their order of importance were janitor, secretary, physical director. He attended summer school here in Springfield in 1888, and in September of the same year he became physical director at Auburn, Maine, where he served a year. The next fall he came here to what was then known as the Training School. He took the two years’ course in one, but, owing to a serious accident in a baseball game in his senior year, he was not graduated. In 1891 he took the position of athletic and aquatic director in the Twenty-Third Street Y. M. C. A.. New York City, and while there studied medicine at the New York Uni- versity, receiving his M. D. in 1893, after three years of hard study. Shortly afterwards he passed the New York and Massachusetts state examinations for practicing medicine. In the fall of 1893 he became physical and medical director of the Twenty-Third Street Branch where he served two years. On July 17, 1895, he was married to Miss Persis B. Harlow of Bangor, Maine. In the fall of that year he was urged by Doctor Guliek to come and teach physical education at the Training School. It seems interesting in this connection that about six years previous Doctor Guliek had seen Mr. McCurdy trying in vain to do a stunt on the parallel bars. He advised him at that time to pack up his trunk and go home, saying he would never make a physical Director, and remarking, “McCurdy, you are as graceful as a cow.’’ But Doctor Guliek did not know his man, for McCurdy had a vision and with characteristic determination he carried it to materialization: and we are mighty glad he did. The Doctor responded to the call and this is the conclusion of his eighteenth consecutive year of service here. He has seen the institution grow from a membership of a few to over two hundred. 5

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tsium, 1M94. West Gymnasium, 1910. Natatorium, 1913.