Chapter VI
The School the True Place for Children's Physical Culture
Most fathers do little or nothing to improve the bodies of their children. Often they do not know how to do so. Oftener their time is so taken up that they do not try to. The mother, being more with the child, feels its needs the more keenly; and would gladly deny herself much, could she assure her children ruddy health. But her day is also by no means an idle one; and, just when she could best spare half an hour, it is hardest to have them with her. Besides, she is herself often far from strong; and needs some one to point out to her the way to physical improvement more, even, than do her children.
There is a feeling that the child is sent to school to be educated; and that certain trained persons are paid to devote their time to that education. As they are supposed to so bring the children forward as to best draw out all their faculties; and equip them for their life-work. Then they would seem the right ones to educate their bodies too. Nor is this View so wide of the mark. The teacher has always a number of scholars. He can encourage the slower by the example of the quicker; he can arouse the emulation; he can get work easily out of many together, where one or two
76
