Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. SATURDAY, JUNE 19, 1909.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXIX, Issue 7826, 19 June 1909, Page 2

Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. SATURDAY, JUNE 19, 1909.

i ,>. y'. •■;'• "They didn't know everySw.eden's thing down in Judee;" Example, and .the. saying is not ' !j . without ; application in New Zealand. Here we have a Health Department, and a great deal is said, off and on, .up and down the- country, about health. But, after' all, does this abound amongst lis ? Every other woman in the land is an invalid, or a martyr to nerves, and except for a minority-of bushmen and farmers and their workers, the men are not much better. What is this .due to ? Something in the climate, or constitutional degeneracy in the race ? Or are we simply foolish.-, ignorant of and indifferent to the things that would make us healthy ? If this is so, perhaps we have neither sense nor energy enough to take a leaf out of the book of the Swedes, who are said to be the healthiest people in the world. With them exercise, gymnastic exercise, not mere walking, isi a .religion. The very climirials under sentence must have it, and, therefore^ full instructions for daily gymnastics are posted even in the condemned cell. Grown folk mitstjiave it, and therefore the gymnasiums spring up as thick as mushrooms. The children must have, it when the State has "done all that it can for ! them physically, private associations take .them up. Free skating rinks and toboggan-slides—even free toboggans and skates for the skateless—are providedgless with the end of giving the children joy than of promoting that fetish wrof the Swedish soul—public health. Associations for outdoor games take charge of the public playgrounds, organising so-called pedagogic games that are not only uproarious fun, but develop swiftness, precision and verve. With Government Jaid, these societies send teachers of games to all the common schools, and,;" the children are -turned loose in the open air everyday for a short romp. -British people, at Home and 'oversea^;'use these Swedish games in their gymnasiums and in such of the public schools as can command the space-.. But, it is asked, why not use them out of doors and make them •universal ? The Government itself takes splendid care of the muscles of its little citizens. Every school-child in the kingdom is'! tinder bonds to learn to swim, unless, as is rarely the case, the schoolhouse is too far away from any .water. As for the formal gymnastics in Swedish schools, it is a very serious affair; for it is body-building. The bodies of British boys and girls are not " built" ; they just .'grow. The rugged children of Sjveden are a convincing recommendation ;pf the national methods In agility, and grace, to say nothing of physical stamina, they are : .far in advance of British school-children. . Th^n, : even when a Swedehasgot his body built, he does not leave off' there. >"Wtiat the club ( is -to an.Engljsh'business man, the gytanasiuni is to the Swede. He takes exercise suited to his age to keep in ; .ctmditio^f;: orif not up to the mark he -Ipuijs jnto, .the 'nearest % gymnasium for repairs. The movement cure and massage—these are his substitutes for drugs. Headaches, liver complaints, nerves, dyspepsia are all treated, at least partially, by active or passive gymnastics. Why^ indeed, should we not take a leaf out of Sweden's book in this all-important matter of.building up the bodies and securing and maintaining the health of our people ?