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BBOSIUS’ NIMBLE KIDS.TWELVE, H VXD RED WSCZPIfiS OF FATHER JAM1\%Mow BaMn, l4d« jm4 VSmm Bwnlw Atbletic TrAlniD^-cuwea Uraded from Simple CmirtbentM to to Combination)* Requiring Orsee »d StreBfth*Special Correspondence of the Wisconsin.Now York, Jan. 2.—There was a hum of childish voices, and the muIUtodln-oua patter of tiny feet as I entered the great building of the Central Tnm-Verfjn, on East Bixty-eeventh Street, yesterday afternoon. In a high-ceil-inged room, where a mass of apparatus hung overhead and upon the walls, there was a group of children at work, or at play, rather, for a juvenile game was in progress- The children formed a pretty picture. It was the girls’ hour, and there wero blonde tote of half a dozen summers, and dark-haired, dancing-eyed wee witches of 7 or 8. AHPLAYING AT •• C0MMTT7* were dressed in a neat uui’orm of blue flannel, consisting of a sailor blouse, trimmed with broad while braid, with skirts coming just below the knee, black stockings, and little black slippers. Home had their hair tied and others had the short tresses neatly plaited.The game was called “Comm'it.” Three circles were formed, each with about twenty children. All sat down and at a signal from the teacher, Herman fieibert, the gatno began. A chubby-faced sprite rose from each of the rings, aud began running around outside tne circle, suddenly pausing to touch one of the sLUer*, who rose and chased her until caught, when the first g’rl took her place in the circle, and the other continued the game. This was kept up for about twenty minutes, when the feminine midgets were ranged by the teacher in rows, and put through a mild calisthenic exercise.“Tftes© are our baby classes,11 said Prof. George Broaiug, the chief instructor of athletics at tha TurnhalL “T have about 1,21)0 pupils in all, and they are graded according to age and height. Eight hundred are children under 14. The boys and girls are taught separately. I have twelve clashes for boys, with pupils all the way from (J to 14 or 15 years old, and Bight clnsses for girls, the younger children being taught during the day, and the others in the evening. Then there is a clus of young huiiea, fur which we have a Special curriculum. But you wish to see the youngsters at work for yourself. Come this way.We passed into tbe gymnasium again, where tbe little giris had been re nlaced by a small army of sturdy-Jooking boya, whoj»e fttes ranged between 8 and 12. They were uniformed in white flannel ebirts, blue knee-breeches, black stocking!* and slippers. Each bqy wore a bolt of red cloth. At a signal from the professor, who stood on a daiB at the end of the ball, the hoys formed into four ciaBses, the two assistant teachers, Messrs. Seibert and Trenn, each taking charge of two classes or companies. The military drill began, and tne four companies went through the tactical exercises with tbe precision of veterans, marching and countermarching, wheeling and baiting at the word ot lt;ommnod. Then came tbe “buck horse1’ exercise, in ioar motions, the puoils leaping in turn.“One 1” called out the instructor, and a lad sprang on ihe padded horse on hands and kneee. “Two!” Tbe boycVr7THE VAULTING HORSE,H rose lo his feet. “Three’!” He leaps to the floor. “Four!” He ran to the rear of the line to make wny for the second jumper. And so it went until the entire class had leaped several times over the horse. This was followed by straight jumping on the matted flo r, the “van! ing horse,” which was clearer by a sindo jump from a spring board, and a mild exercise with Indian clubs. As in the cake of the younger puuils, tbo day’s lesson concluded with a game somewhut similar to Cat and Mouse,” the mouse seeking protection inside the circle*, while the cat was compelled to force his way in, amid the opposing arms and legs.“You see,” explained the professor, “we have to keep them interested id order to give them the full benefit of tbe exercise without firing them/'“Do you make any distinction in the training of girls and boys, professor?”“Certainly we do. In girls’ classes the highest obiect aimed at is grace ul-ness and freedom of motion* This, of course, includes all that is necessary to the development of the body, tbe main difference being that in their case we do not endeavor, as in that of the boya, 1o develop strength and muscle so much. When very young girla—mere children —come to us, we grade th**ra in classes, and begin with a few simple calisthenics, always finishing the exercise with a game that will interest them, and at the same time give all the exertion necessary for our purpose. Half an hour is enough tor these little thinss, and even then we give them frequent rests meanwhile, aav a rest four tiroes in the course of twenty-five^ minutes. When a mere infant moves its arms thnt is Bufficicut exercise for it, and in tbe same ratioj when a child of six rnns and walks around a little, and has a game into which it enters wirb all its little heart, that is quite enough for it;“These exercises are only a few simple motions, suited to the age and intelligence of the puoil—a inarch and anready/orthem to exercise tbe different porta of tbe body—tbe arms, thighs, lego and shoulders. We use no dumb-bells or Indian dubs for the very young. Besides, in training girls, we adopt a milder course than with boys. When a yonog girl comes to us we begin by by putting her through the simple drill I have mentioned. When she is proficient in it she is advanced to more complicated exercises. From- the aim-* plest order of calisthenics she goes on to games and exercises that call for agreater amount of energy and attention. At first, with the very young girls especially, we are careful not to tire or exhaust the pupils. If they are exercised an hour, they have three or four rests during that time, beginning. Bay, with calisthenics for fifteen or twenty minutes, then a ten minutes’ rest, then resume with very light apparatus, arranged Boeclally bo as to save time. Tbe last part of the programme would probaojy be a game. We have a regular course laid out for the whole year in advance. There are dozens of games suited to gymnaaium purposes and we take our choice.“Girls of 7 or 8 get a more advanced exercise. They are then beginning to have an idea of what is wanted of them, and they join in the work intelligently. The exerc see are now calculated not only to develop the body, bat to give it enpplenes and graceful motion. They are taught many steps with the Jeet, such as are used in the wdtz, echottiscbc, polka and other dances. These are meant to give the body perfect freedom and a graceful carriage. Then there are skipping, hopping and hundreds of other pleasant ii tie exercises that give poise and agility, and in which the arms, and indeed all the limbs, are freely employed, nBxng and falling in ihe different motion'*. But great care is taken to avoid violence, for I consider it the bane of athletics. Especially would it be huit-iul in tbe training of girts.“When they are still further advanced (you see all the system is progressive) the girls begin to gel combined movements in which the whole class participates, and which require great skill and close attention. Tbe arm and chest movement, too, 5b now freely used. One oi the favorite exercises is the ‘hall-8wing/ which is simply an improvement upon the old-fashioned seesaw. An upright is firmly fastened and a croBB-beam, oBciHating upon a pivot, is hung near the top. On each arm o the cross-beam are a number of rope handles, which the pupils grasp, and then the swing ri^es and falls with the slightest motion, jtiBl like the see-^aw, tiio only difference being that' in the seesaw the player is seated, whereas in tbe ‘Calf-awing’ she is holding on lightly by both hands. The ‘half-swina’ can be made to rise eight or nine feet from tbe floor. It develops the arms and chest finely.“Another special exercise is the 'circle swing,’ and the girls are exceedingly fond of it; indeed, they love ail•I- * - w w ^THE '*CIRCLE SWING.”the exercises. A circular iron plate is hung Jroro tbe ceiling, and from it eight cords, each with a pair of handles, hang downward to a point about two and a half fret from the floor. One of the handles is a little higher than the other, so that the pupil can throw her arm through the lower one and giasp the other with her fingers. Eieht pupils take hold of these sixteen handles, and they move all together, swinging in a circle. They also practice walking on the‘balancing hoard,’which is about Bix or eight inches high, two inches broad and about two teet apart. They stand upon it, take hands and walk along, going through various combined movements. This gives them suppleness, poiBe and agili y.”“Do you use none of the usual gymnasium apparatus for the girls of this ape?”“Oh, yeB; we use climbing ladders and swinging rincB, but omy #or the more advanced. One thing that we never omit ifl the simple exercise for tbe feet upon the floor, and the movements of the body that will teach grace rather than strength.”“How do the girls compare with the boya os far * as intelligence acd aptness are concerned, Professor?”“Well, I think it only fair to them to say that they are my best pupils. They take a greater prido in what they accomplish than tho boys do, and theybear themselves • like little queens.q,THE YOUNG CLUB SWINGER.They are naturally more graceful, and therefore much of the work comes easier to them. This explains why they can aseumo better positions. Borne of them are very accomplished. a It would be difficult to imagine anything more graceful than tho^ motions of the pupils’in my young ladies' class, whe:e the ages ore from 10 upward. 'Well-built, strong and healthy, they are just the best sort of material for a clan of advanced exerciseb. All efforts are directed toward the development of grace and freedom of physical action, for these are what are most desirable in every young woman. I use light Indian clubs—two-pounders—and swinging rings, besides other simple apparatus. No dumb-bells are need. Atfiibt only one club is employed by the pupil for* a few simple motions, and then, when she has mastered these, both clubs are used for combined movements*^ that is, step positions in which the whole close joins. In order not to tire them too much with the clubs they change to step positions, and between every new exercise take about twenty seconds’ rest.”While Prof. Brosins talked the boys kept steadily ot the exercises. TheTHE PYRAMID, WITH WaNDH. older pupils—lads between 10 and 12— were busy with the climbing ladders, swinging rings, sliding poles ond horizontal bar, the Profresor’e assistants personally superintending every group on the floor of the great gymnasium.“The*e are exercises,” he explained, “that call for more strength. The pupils yon see are trained in difficult combined'tactical movements and an advanced grade of calisthenics There are three different grades of calisthenics. Tneir excercise will continue about an hour, and includes club-swineing. No, I da not use dumb-bells in this grade. As the boy6 advance they use all the apparatus, bot we doa’t force them ahead. They must be older and stronger before they get the pyramid exercise. or anything that will try their strengtn seriously. We always give them sufficient rests between the exercises. I do not QBe tbe health lift here; 1 don’t believe in it, for young pupils, at all events.“Much harm is done by urging violent motions on the part of pupils. It is agaiuBt all the principles of modern scientific athletics, and is ruinous to the pupil. I knowol a government training school, not far from New York, where tbe cadets are permitted to ubo eight and teu-puuuil duinb-.bells. wliicii must reBuit in serious injury sooner or later. I had a scholar who studied with me for twelve or fourteen years, and who could put up a 100-pound dumbbell thirty times with bis right hand. He went to tbe Turner’s com petition at Frankfort, and competed for a prize. The first premium was awarded to a German athlete named Mil er, who afterwards came here and competed at the 8ti Louis festival, where he got the Bixtb prize, while the American whom he defeated abroad got the first prize. There certainly whs something singular about the foreign awards, and it only served, to convince me that American turners are superior to any in Europe— if they can gets lair show. Tbe American athlete was Berman Kcehler, my former pupil, now instructor in fencing swimming and athletics at WeBt Point* “I huve been an sthlete since 1864, when I left tbe army to assume tbe charge of the first Turnball opened in Milwaukee, continued Prof- Brosina, stroking his military-looking moustache and goatee. ‘There are 300,000 Turners in the country. While in Milwaukee I was for ten years superintendent ot physical instruction in the public schools, and there 1 was impres ed with the great desirability of introducing physicisl training generally in the school6 throughout the country. Ttidu-Banosof children are crippled, cramped and permanently deformed by tbe carelessness of their teachers. II tne Government would establish an inBtiiute lor the edncation of teachers to be assigned to ihe various public schools, we would reap the benefit in a generation of happier, healthier and more robust children. Education in the schools should be physical as well os mental, and the tendency to-day is decidedly in favor of each a reform.”Prof. Brosias, who is now 51 yeare of age, has neon preaching and practically illustrating the doctrines of Father Jahn.the founderof turning, for twenty-six years. He is never happier than when instructing bin pupils, who, fromthe tiniest miag^t to the brawniest member of his adult classes, bold him in affectionate regard. He is the good genius of tbe growing generation of athletes, and at tbe three feetivala that take place every y^ar the laurels and diplomas be distributes are held by pupils and parents alike as the most valoed souvenirs the young athletes could win._Eden Clayton,Suicide at DartlorJ.Daetford, Wis., Jan. 20.—Yesterday morning J. C. Mills, proprietor of the Lake House .here, went into a barber shop and was shaved. At 3 o’clock in the alternoon he was next seen, hanging to a beam in his barn, deacL Mr. Mills opened tbe Lake Horae io the public about forty years ago, while a young man of 32 years of age. Daring the past few years he became dissipated in his habits, and, it is thonaht,,ended his life in a fit of despondency.Losses by Boston's Big Fire, Boston, Mass., Jan. 20.—An official listo* losses by Thanksgiving Day fire, in this city, is made public by the Boston Protective Department. Prom these returns it appears that the total loss was $3,841,383. The insurance involved was $5,395,933, while the loss to insurance companies was $3,173,438, or a little over 58 per cent* of the total insurance, and S2.fi per cent, of tbe total loss. The loss not insured was $667,95LCharged With Murder.Wausau, Wxb., * Jan. 20.—Herman. Fredricks, who shot and killed Miss Bertha Era man, in the town of BteUm, about three weeks ago, and then attempted to take_ his own life, was or ested this me ruing end placed in: the* county jail lor sate keeping.. He will be tried at tbe next te m of the circuitcourt, charged with murder.If yon suffer with pain in the back, andlimbs, toko 25 cents and buy Salvation. DLL
Newspaper Details
Milwaukee Weekly Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, US
Sat, Jan 25, 1890
Page 7
Full Page
Clipped by
Alec H.
USA 07 Dec 2018
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