Present-Day Physical Education
Early America
- Many of the sports, games and physical activities in physical education programs today have historical origins and meanings
- Physical education as a field of study has grown tremendously and has more scientific and medical support
- Physical education is generally more holistic with an emphasis on lifetime wellness
- P.E. is influenced highly by our nation's poor health, but also by trending educational initiatives and people in power
- Native Americans lived regularly active lifestyles
- Natives valued games for many purposes and contributed to development of sport
- First settlers did not value sports or games, but rather economic survival
- Near 18th century, mostly individual sports and games gained popularity, with military training as a focal point
- From 1776 - 1880s sports and games became more competitive and the medical profession first started to show concern for people with inactive jobs
Urbanization and Industrialization
The Influence of Warfare on Physical Education
- The agricultural revolution and the creation of a national transportation-communication network, including extensive railways, ultimately led to overcrowded cities and a need for more recreational opportunities
- New inventions led to increased popularity of sports, games, and physical activities
- During the Civil War, military training was popular
- Military training later proved not as effective as whole-body physical training, by Sargent
- College athletics and YMCA served as both development and coping outlets for military
- Both World Wars led to criticism of physical education
- Criticisms ultimately led to expansion of physical education, particularly to meet wartime needs
- Sports, games, and exercise gained popularity after all wars as ways to forget horrors of war
The History of Physical Education in the United States of America
Teacher Preparation & Dance
Gymnastics
- Normal Institute for Physical Education, established by Dio Lewis in Boston in 1861.
- 1885, Kansas City included physical education in its schools beneath the leadership of an American Turner named Carl Betz
- After 1880, teacher preparation programs for physical education became more popular.
- The Sargent School graduated almost one-third of the students from 28 teacher-training colleges at one point in time. Other schools included Springfield College, George Williams College, and Boston Normal School (later known as Wellesley College).
- Modern dance became a part of physical education programs as early as 1938, primarily in high schools and colleges. Today it takes many forms in physical education, from creative and exploratory dance at the elementary level to advanced dance at the high school level
- According to Welch (p.107, 2004), America’s sporting and physical education heritage was greatly influenced by German immigrants who came to America in the early part of the nineteenth century
- German "turnvereins" or gymnastics clubs were established in the U.S. in the mid 1800s
- The ideas of the American Turners, including their motto, “A Sound Mind in a Sound Body” were ground-breaking and tremendously influential in bringing exercise and well-being to the attention of Americans.
The Beginning of Physical Education as a Discipline
- Dr. Thomas Wood developed the “new physical education” which involved more games and sport than science-based exercise and fitness activities
- Clark Hetherington developed a theory of play which was expanded by Dr. Jesse F. Williams and Dr. Jay B. Nash
- Williams and Nash saw education as being “through” the physical rather than “of” the physical and also involved sound character and emotional well-being (Welch, p.130-131, 2004).
- Progress made in research and measurement and the Great Depression adversely affected public education
- In 1885, Dr. William G. Anderson organized a national physical education group that later changed its name to the American Physical Education Association (APEA) in 1904
- 1889 Conference on Physical Training
- Two systems of exercise and recreational games were debated and brought to public attention
- Dr. Sargent
- Founded the Sargent School of Physical Training in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1881
- Developed exercise machines that even weak and disabled individuals could use
- At his Sargent School, students learned training techniques to strengthen and improve the physical abilities of all people
- Some consider Sargent to be the creator of physical education.
- YMCA developed a holistic conditioning system