A Guide to the History of Physical Education

PHYSICAL TRAINING IN THE YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATIONS.

In 1869, eighteen years after the introduction of the Young Men's Christian Association into America, the first Association buildings to contain gymnasia were dedicated, in San Francisco and New York, and in the latter city William Wood took up his duties as the first director of an Association gymnasium. By the close of another eighteen years, when the number of gymnasia reported had increased to 168, and the paid directors to 50, it had become apparent that steps must be taken to provide adequately trained leaders for this phase of work in individual Associations and some sort of general oversight for the whole country. Accordingly in 1887 a department of physical training was added to the Young Men's Christian Association Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts, a summer school for gymnasium directors was opened at that institution, and the International Committee established a department for supervision of the physical work with a special secretary at its head. Luther H. Gulick, a young student who had just finished his first year in the medical department of New York University, was chosen to fill the office thus created, and was also made one of two instructors in the new department at the Springfield Training School. The other, Robert Jeffries Roberts, was a veteran of twelve years' experience as director of the gymnasium at the Boston Young Men's Christian Association, and at that period the most influential and widely known teacher of gymnastics engaged in Association work.