GYMNASTICS.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXII, Issue 2744, 10 May 1866, Page 4

GYMNASTICS.

To the Editor of the Daily Southern Cross. Sib, — Having lately observed how general the interest in gymnastics has become in this community, a few remarks on this subject, the result of long experience, both theoretical and practical, may be of some use to the cause. It is not long ago that people in England despised gymnastics ; probably because, in the first instance, it was " un-English" — the greatest stigma that could be applied to anything in those days ; secondly, the undemonstrative nature of Englishmen shrank from making guys of themselves in the shape of human Catherine wheels, or by standing on one's head or hands instead of one's feet, and by other fantastic poses. Moreover, several of the conservative class of physicians, having been consulted on the probable efficiency of this new mode of exercise, had taken the trouble to lift their pens against this innovation, and had proved that it was unnatural ; that the violence done to the joints by the exercise was hurtful ; and that it was unworthy of the attention of a people living in a high degree of civilisation. But, strange to say, this very high degree of civilisation had gradually increased the number of a class of people whose daily avocations condemned them to a disregard of the requirements of the physical man, such as out-of-door exercise, or muscular exercise of any kind. Living in centres of over-crowded communities, the green fields and the bracing country air were removed from them further and further every day, and the want of a substitute for these necessities made itself felt more and more as health and spirits began to be affected. Who has not felt, after a long day's sedentary occupation, or even simple confinement to indoor occupation, a tendency in the muscles for extension, a longing to stretch the arm, the leg, the back, and the neck ? Man involuntarily thus grasps at something to indulge this tendency, and anything in the shape of a " horizontal bar" is unconsciously clutched to follow this dictate of nature. In those parts of Europe where field sports and athletic amusements had ceased to be national institutions, this natural want had already assumed the form of a system, and gymnastics had become on the continent an efficient substitute for the national sports of England. It was not long, therefore, that the overcrowded manufacturing districts of England followed the example, and gradually gymnastics obtained a footing in Kngland. m In colonies, particularly in the period of their early development, there is generally no need 'of artificial exercise. The axe, the saw, the 1 billhook, and plough, or the horse, or the tangled

forest, are as perfect instruments of a natural gymnasium as can be conceived ; but when colonial communities assume proportions such. <; as Auckland has extended to, it is time that a , provision be made for the large number t of people whose time is too limited { for a sufficiency of bodily exercise such , as the health of our system requires. Add thereto the danger, that what little time there , might remain for wholesome pursuits might J be misspent for want of opportunities to . spend it beneficially. I say, then, that it ] is the duty of every good citizen, of every conscientious father of a family, to come forward with his mite to establish an institution that shv,ll increase the chances of health and strength in our youth, and decrease the chances of deterioration. The moral influence of physical exercise has been felt by everyone : if he only looks back to a day of healthy exercise, he will remember his good humour, his 1 good will towards his neighbours, his feeling of joyous readiness to overcome difficulties, dangers even. We cannot separate the body from the soul while we are in life ; we cannot neglect the one without deteriorating the other. The easiest task is the care of the physical man : t'lat is within the reach of everyone ; and if the mind, the morale of the inner man, is benefited by so easy a process, it becomes a first duty to pave thus the way for higher improvement. In children, therefore, that should be a step not to be overlooked; the early training in gymnastics in a child of eight to ten years of age generally lays the foundation for a tough impermeable constitution. A judiciously graduated system of gymnastics is of course necessary ; over-exertion, over-straining of muscles and joints, is exceedingly hurtful, and that may be caused by puttinga child at once to too difficult exercises. The same graduated process is also required at a maturer age, as the grand secret of the benefit of gymnastics rests mainly on the principle of very gradual increase of difficulties to be overcome. In the child, the buoyancy of youth, the length of hours of play, all combine to obviate the immediate necessity of gymnastics ; but for persons of a sedater time of life gymnastics, if not supplanted by field sports, are an absolute necessity. In fact, those persons who have a natural reluctance to exertion, a distaste for exercise, are the very people who will be benefited mo3t by artificial exercise ; and, above all, those who feel themselves to be awkward, clumsy, and unhandy, who, therefore, bashfully and shamefacedly abstaiu from trying to shine by bodily agility or vigour, are the persons to whom gymnastics are an absolute necessity. There are hardly any people too old or too young to derive incalculable benefit from such artificial exercise. So universally a useful agent should therefore no longer be wanting in our community; there is no need of a grand commencement; let us only begin, how small soever. The Government might lend us a room in some of their buildings, and a few pounds out of our own pockets would put up the necessary arrangements. Forty or fifty pounds would do that, and enough to spare for lighting up. Let the seed of this public good be once put into the ground, and I am .sure it will return us a thousandfold. Gr.F. V.T.