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20th Convention of the American Physical Education Association The 20th annual convention of the American Physical Education Association was held at Newark, N.J., March 26 to 29th, inclusive. On the evening of March 26th it was generally regretted that Major General Leonard Wood Chief of Staff, U.s. Army was prevented, on account of the flood in the middle west, from coming to the convention to make the chief address of the evening. Dr. R. Tate McKenzie of the University of Pennsylvania, President of the Association, spoke at length on what constitute the ideal man. He told of the warrior's type of ancient Greece and the careful study that must be given to the application of physical training to the particular needs of the individual. Besides this address the mayor of Newark and the President of the Board of Education spoke encouragingly to the members of the convention. Among the other important addresses delivered during the convention was that of Mr. Calvin N. Kendall, commissioner of education of the State of New Jersey. he spoke on "Physical Training an Essential in Modern Education." the speaker said "It is principally in five directions that our work will aid in the education and the bringing the child to adolescence. First of all you create an interest of the child you get what the teacher needs most, the spirit of the pupil as well as its body. It is such work as you are interested in which make the school popular. Secondly, our physical education gives the child that sort to training which will instill the desire to spend its leisure hour properly. And when these children have grown up they will still have some interests aside from their business in their hours of relaxation. Third, physical culture creates good conditions for teachers. The physical training teacher who rises to his opportunity will se that schools are sanitary, in short he will be a promoter of good health of the children. Another result, one which we have been somewhat tardy in recognizing, is that the progress of the child depends largely upon its physical well-being and its power of concentration. It is the child whose blood is red, whose lungs are good who will do the best work in school. We finally have discovered the relation between muscular and mental training. In closing, let me quote Colonel Parker, whom some of you no doubt knew, who said: "Play is God's method of teaching a child how to work; and, furthermore let me cite Stanley Hall, who said: 'A child without a playground is like an man without a job!" In the absence of Mr. Sullivan, Dr. Paul C. Phillips of Amherst college showed the moving pictures of the Olympic games at Stockholm, Sweden. Among the other addresses made during the convention are those of Dr. Sargent, Dr. Seaver, Dr. Crampton, Dr. Arnold and Mr. Carl Schrader that were of particular interest. Dr. Sargent said "the real test of efficiency must combine endurance with strength. Very often men who are physically strong are lacking in endurance and are, therefore, not efficient." Dr. Seaver especially pointed out that the teacher of physical education must also be a competent hygienist. Dr. Crampton's address on blood-pressure created much interest. All in all the convention was a grand success largely due to the efforts of Mr. Randall D. Warden and his splendid corps of assistants. There were 3 exhibitions beside all the other feature of the program. Much high class dancing was shown, which pleased the audience exceedingly. One of the finest numbers of the various programs, however, was the wand drill by the boys of the Newark Parental School directed by Mr. Morris Sachs. Among those represented outside the cities of the last were Atlanta, GA, Pittsburgh, PA, Cleveland, O, Cincinnati, O, and Buffalo, NY. On account of the flood prevailing at the time, of the convention in the middle west, Mr. A. E. Kindervater, President of the Public School Physical Training Society was prevented from attending the convention and had to return to St. Louis, MO after getting as far as Washington, IN. Many of the delegates visited the schools of Newark. |