THE MARCH OF Y.M.C.A. WORK.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 461, 20 March 1909, Page 6

THE MARCH OF Y.M.C.A. WORK.

••— " V - PHYSICAL CULTURE IN AMERICA. . (BI TILBQUArB —SPECIAL COKRRSPOSnRNT.) . ; Chrlstchurch, March , 19. ' Mr. T. S. Tankard, who was last year appointed physical culture director of the -new Y.M.C.A. now approaching completion, and who at once left on a tour of Europe and America to see what was being'done in other countries, has just returned to- Christchui'oh. Speaking to a "Press" reporter he said that he'had made a 'special study of rho system of physical culture in use in the Y.M.C.A. institutions in America. He was simply astonished at the physical training sido of Y.M.C.A. work,in America, where it has been brought to a fine-art. In* New York city alone, over-10,000. men were regular patrons of gymnasiums, in addition to twice that number of lads, and a very large number of female physical fculturists. A chair of physical training had been instituted at sll the colleges and universities, and many of the gymnasiums had- fully qualified medical men as physical culture directors. Each of: these experts gavo the whole of his time to the institution with which' ho was . connected. Salaries ranged from £800 to £1000 per year. At Springfield, Mass., which town has approximately the same - population as -Christchurch, there is-a training college for physical culture directors, under tho control of tho Y.M.C.A., denoting tho seriousness with which! physical , training was treated- in Springfield. The high school in that, town paid its'-physical director a sum of £400 a year. . ' During lis stay in the United States," Mr. Tiinkard attended a conference in New York city, before which he delivered an- address on physical culture matters. He went on to speak of the elaborate and • costly buildings erected by the Y.M.C.A. 1 in America. In Philadelphia, Chicago, and other ' cities magnificent buildings had been erected at a cost of a million dollars each, and their equipment was on an equally "imposing scale, physical training appliances m some instances running into an expenditure of £4000. Tho American Y.M.C.A. gymnasiums wero all large,' and were the most successful physical training and athletic institutions of their kind in tho world.

■ Generally, Y.M.C.A.work in the States was on a far more liberal and broad-minded, scale than obtained in New Zealand. They were patronised by persons in all walks of life, the business man viewing with'' the_ younger idea in his keenness for physical training, and devoting much of his - time to it. Mr. Tankard further mentioned'.that,he had found ■the American youth' a more receptivo pupil than the English or : .colonial 'boy,, inasmuch as he had no hesitation ,in admitting that his instructor knew niore,about his particular business than, himself, and carried out his instructions without , demur. The classes were attended.by.rich and poor alike, and a wholehearted enthusiasm characterised the work. Special emphasis wis laid by Mr. Tankard on tho fact that physical training in States was' more on gymnastic 'lines than in' New Zealand, ! and was ,of a less strenuous description. ■ Light- physical training was rational, and the whole system was worked on strictly physiological lines, without any tendency, towards- - showiness and display. . • In England Mr. Taflkard visited most of the important gymnasiums, but regretted! to find that practically no advance had been made since he was there fourteen years ago.