Page:How to Get Strong (1899).pdf/40

 to build him up against ill-health in the future. At others certain exercises, excellent in their way, admirable for suppling the joints and improving the carriage, have for some time been practised. But this physical work does not go nearly far enough; and seldom reaches each pupil's peculiar weak spot; much less builds slim arms, legs and bodies into well-built and strong ones. Nor is it done by all the students; nor by any for a large part of the year. In most of our schools and colleges, the pupil is not shown the good results he will derive from exercise. And the teacher often knows less in this field than do some of his scholars.

The evil does not end here. Take the son of the man of means and refinement; a boy who is having as liberal an education as money can buy, and his parents' best judgment can select; who spends a third or more of his life in fitting himself to get on well in the rest of it. Surely he ought to come out ready for his life's work; with not only a thoroughly trained mind, and a strong moral nature; but with a well-developed, vigorous physique; and a knowledge of how to maintain it, so that he may make the most of all his advantages.

But how often does this happen? Stand by the gate, as the Senior class of almost any college in this country files out from its last examination before graduation; and look the men over. Ask your physician to join you in the scrutiny. If, between you two, you can arrive at the conclusion that one-half, and often even one-third of them, have that vitality and stamina which make it probable that they will live till seventy, or have been taught how to get and keep that vitality and stamina, it will be surprising. A few, the athletes, will be well developed, better really than they need be; though many of these are but partly developed. But this