Identifier: physicalculture201908macf (find matches)
Title: Physical culture
Year: 1899 (1890s)
Authors: MacFadden, Bernarr Aldolphus, 1858-
Subjects: Physical education and training
Publisher: New York : Physical Culture Publishing Co.
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Smithsonian Libraries

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t can never be made a part ofany system of exercise. There is amoral feature about play that fewindividuals have considered. A whole-some, healthy body is always inclinedtoward the highest morality. Only per-verted instincts and demoralized bodiesfind anything attractive in immoralities.Play is inclined to make one wholesomeand healthy and natural from everystandpoint. I realize thoroughly that the abilityto play is to a certain extent a lost artafter one has passed the age of girlhoodand boyhood, but that is one of themost serious mistakes of our lives. Weshould never forget how to play. Weshould never lose the power of heartilyenjoying a game that arouses not onlyour interest but actively uses all thepowers of the body. Play is Naturessystem of physical culture. Physicalculture would not have come intoexistence if we had not forgotten howto play. The best system of physicalculture that I have ever seen is illustratedby small boys and girls as they run, play? 240 250 PHYSICAL CULTURE
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From Stereograph, Copyrighted l>y Underw 1 ,v Underwood Blind Mans Buff, an old favorite, productive of amusement as well as good exercise wrestle and jump, climb fences, mount-ains and trees. These exercises practi-cally use every muscle of the body anddevelop them to their highest degree ofbeauty and strength. A great evil that the race has tocontend with at the present time is theinclination of mothers and fathers todiscourage the play instinct. Whilechildren are still mere boys and girls,parents begin to imbue them with theidea that it is undignified to play, thatit is unwomanly and unmanly to runand give vent to the exuberant spiritsthat they find at times bubbling overwithin them. The privilege of playshould not only be extended to everychild, but the privilege should be con-tinued through girlhood and boyhood,and even to manhood and womanhood. Play brings out all our wholesomeinstincts. It rounds out and perfectsthe body, it makes a boy a clean strongman, and a girl a fine a

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