A Lecture on Physical Development, and its Relations to Mental and Spiritual Development, delivered before the American Institute of Instruction, at their Twenty-Ninth Annual Meeting, in Norwich, Conn., August 20, 1858Calthrop, S. R. (Samuel Robert)
Science
A Lecture on Physical Development, and its Relations to Mental and Spiritual Development, delivered before the American Institute of Instruction, at their Twenty-Ninth Annual Meeting, in Norwich, Conn., August 20, 1858
Calthrop, S. R. (Samuel Robert)
Physical education and training
I have seen many an Educator who has felt that he ought to get at these
young rebellious forces, but who does not know the way, and despairingly
wonders why he cannot do so. Friend! I would say, no man can influence
another, unless he has something akin to Him. What do you think gives
these blacklegs, men of not a tithe of your force and talent, such power
over them? Why, it is community of nature, interests in common. But what
interests have you in common with a fast young man? You know nothing
that he knows, you admire nothing that he admires; and until you do
really get a community of interest with him, you will be wide asunder as
the poles, and the fast young man will remain, as he has hitherto
remained, the one disgraceful problem which modern education cannot
solve.
If an educator or college tutor wishes to influence this class of his
scholars, or if a clergyman wishes to gain the souls of this part of his
congregation, the one most difficult to deal with, let him join with
them in some manly game, and let him assuredly know that whatever true
manhood he has will stand him in good stead, and nothing else: nothing
but real vital religion, real nobleness of character will be of any use
in the cricket-field or the row-boat; and this will hold its own here as
well as elsewhere.
Once, then, establish a community of interest on any one subject with
young men, and you open to yourself a door, by which all good may enter.
Nature, dear friends, makes nothing in vain, and it is of such infinite
importance that strength of limb, readiness of eye and hand, physical
vigor in short, should be transmitted from generation to generation,
that she keeps producing fast young men, in spite of the thousand
excesses which they commit, and will do so, until the ablest and wisest
human minds take the matter in hand, and see to it that this part of
Human Nature has its proper and legitimate food, guided by mind,
thought, and reverence, instead of being allowed to run riot in all
manner of wantonness.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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