CULT OF FITNESS

Grey River Argus, 8 November 1939, Page 10

CULT OF FITNESS

□ , ~ fc THE BRITISH METHOD. f 1 Sir Noel .Curtis-Bennett, on behalf s of the English National Fitness 3 Council, made a very interesting ■ statement recently on the progress of ■ the movement, which is similar to - the one in New Zealand. “The idea,” he said, “is not to build -up enormous muscular specimens, - but to rope in the young, inculcate J them with love for the open air and healthy sport, so that throughout : their lives they will maintain happy - minds and healthy bodies, and to give - them a knowledge of health and hy--1 giene that will always stand them - in good stead. 5 “One must never lose sight of the i fact that all types of people must be provided for, and that there must be - recreations to suit not only those who • are exhilarated by the presence of • large numbers, but also those who in- , tensely dislike being herded, and . take their pleasures either alone or i in the company of just a few. inti- > mate friends. “There must be no attempt at re- ; gimentation, so that a single type is mass-produced. “Each of the millions affected by i inc scheme must have perfect freedom of action, which is essential to the development of individual personality. “No one in Britain can make you lit against your will, and compulsion would defeat me chief aims of the Council. But the Fitness Movement wants to provide facilities so pleasant and plentiful that everyone will desire to take advantage of them. “Now. do not imagine that because there are not hordes of people all in the same uniform, marching, countermarching, and strutting and goosestepping and armwaving, that nothing has been accomplished. Because t here is no compulsion, progress is necessarily slow. But for the same reason, it has a greater degree of permanence than would otherwise be the case.