Rachael Dick
English 2010
Lara Asplund
A PRESIDENT IN DEFENSE OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Figure 1
INTRODUCTION:
The importance of Physical Education has been felt almost since the beginning of civilization. Where once it was used more as a means for young men to hone their bodies into capable fighting machines, it has evolved into a tool to provide students with a means of obtaining their necessary daily physical activity, which has been made increasingly more difficult with our current sedentary lifestyles. American President John F. Kennedy, was particularly aware of this problem, and strove to implement policies that would encourage Americans, specifically the public schools, to increase the amount of exercise that they acquired.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION THROUGH THE YEARS:[1]
The form of physical education most of us are accustomed to, can be traced back to Europe and the emergence of gymnastics being used[2] as a key standard of physical fitness. (“History,” par.8) More specifically American physical education[3] can be linked with that of Great Britain and Archibald Maclaren. Maclaren, who was a proponent for physical education[4], believed that physical activity could not only alleviate weariness and stress, but, also that girls as well as boys, needed to engage in it consistently. (“History,” par. 14-17)
However,[5] it wasn’t until the 1960’s when John F. Kennedy became president that the American physical education programs really started picking up.
A BRIEF LIFE SYNOPSIS:
President Kennedy was born into a large Catholic family on May 29, 1917. He was the second of his family’s nine children. Both of his grandfathers were successful politicians. He enjoyed an active lifestyle from the time he was a boy. During his time at Choate (a boarding school) he played tennis, basketball, football, and golf. (“Life of,” par. 6) He graduated from Harvard in 1940 and joined the U.S. Navy, fighting bravely for the U.S. during World War II. After returning home[6] his father convinced him he should run for Congress, which he did and won, beginning his political career.
Before his election to the Presidency in 1960 he had served 3 terms in the House of Representatives and one in the Senate. He won the Presidency when he was only 43 years old, making him the youngest man ever elected to that position. November 21, 1963 amidst the turmoil of the civil rights movement, John F. Kennedy was shot while driving through the streets of Dallas, TX. He died the next day.
“THE SOFT AMERICAN”:
[7]In Kennedy’s own words, "Physical fitness is the basis for all other forms of excellence." (“Life of,” par. 38) How sad he must have found the physical condition of the American people.
It is amazing how closely the problems faced in Kennedy’s time resemble those we are faced with today. In his article “The Soft American”, published in Sports[8] Illustrated, Kennedy outlines the decline of American fitness. He references a 15 year study which compared the fitness levels of American children to those in Austria, Italy and Switzerland. According to the article, “57.9% of the American children failed one or more of these [flexibility] tests, while only 8.7% of the European youngsters failed.” (Kennedy, par.5)
Kennedy believed that the success of a nation was dependent on the strength of its populace. “…the physical vigor of our citizens is one of America’s most precious resources. If we waste and neglect this resource, if we allow it todwindle and grow soft then we will destroy much of our ability to meet the great and vital challenges which confront our people. We willbe unable to realize our full potential as a nation.” (Kennedy, par. 9)
He goes on to say, “For physical fitness is not only one of the most important keys to a healthy body; it is the basis of dynamic and creative intellectualactivity. The relationship between the soundness of the body and the activities of the mind is subtle and complex. Much is not yetunderstood. But we do know what the Greeks knew: that intelligence and skill can only function at the peak of their capacity when thebody is healthy and strong; that hardy spirits and tough minds usually inhabit sound bodies.
In this sense, physical fitness is the basis of all the activities of our society. And if our bodies grow soft and inactive, if we fail toencourage physical development and prowess, we will undermine our capacity for thought, for work and for the use of those skills vital toan expanding and complex America.
Thus the physical fitness of our citizens is a vital prerequisite to America's realization of its full potential as a nation, and to theopportunity of each individual citizen to make full and fruitful use of his capacities.” (Kennedy, par. 13-15)
In fact, so[9] important was the state of American fitness to Kennedy that even before his official inauguration, while he was still President Elect,[10] he began setting up the White House Committee on Health and Fitness. Building off of the earlier efforts made by Eisenhower, who also understood the health problems facing America, Kennedy drafted the guidelines which the White House Committee on Health and Fitness should follow. He states in his guidelines that the [11]fitness in the youth should be made the responsibility of the Department of Health, Education and Welfare, and that they should begin constructing a physical fitnessprogram to be implemented in the nation’s public school programs.
“CHICKEN FAT”:
When Kennedy challenged the marine’s to implement a 50 mile hike as part of their training, it had the boomerang effect of inspiring many American citizens to take it as a personal challenge.[12] Building off the positive momentum generated from this challenge, the President’s Council quickly organized a physical fitness campaign. They produced material for print, radio, television and advertising. The song “Chicken Fat”, written byMeredithWillson and sung by Robert Preston[13], was one of the campaigns designed for radio.It[14] was intended to be played during the school day work out routines.
The council also came up with a physical fitness curriculum which was then tested in a pilot program consisting of nearly a quarter million children across 6 states. The result was a nearly 50% increase in the amount of children who were able to pass a fitness test as compared to the year before. It also resulted in a general improvement of the physical education programs throughout the nation. According to the article, ‘The Federal Government Takes on Physical Fitness’: “The program produced a measurable improvement in fitness nationwide as well as a shift in public attitudes and wider participation.” (par. 13)
DETERMINATION:
Kennedy’s efforts to build a stronger community of actively healthy citizens, shows that the lack of adequate amounts of daily physical activity is not unique[15] to our generation. The level of physical activity obtained by American’s in general is apparently a concern that has plagued us for quite some time. By the importance he placed on it, it can be clearly seen that physical fitness and ensuring that all American’s are maintaining healthy levels, especially school age children, was one of President Kennedy’s chief concerns. It is lamentable[16] that the work he put so much effort into achieving is now being dismissed as less important. Though the amenities they enjoyed in the 1960’s are nothing compared to what we enjoy now, he already recognized the detrimental effects of partaking in them too often, and that exercise in order to maintain our overall well being should take precedence.
I think President Kennedy said it the best, so I would like to finish with his words, “Of course, modern advances and increasing leisure can add greatly to the comfort and enjoyment of life. But they must not be confused with indolence, with, in the words of Theodore Roosevelt, "slothful ease," with an increasing deterioration of our physical strength. For the strength of our youth and the fitness of our adults are among our most important assets, and this growing decline is a matter of urgent concern to thoughtful Americans.” (Kennedy, par.18)
WORKS CITED
"The Federal Government Takes on Physical Fitness." - John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. Web. 14 Mar. 2012. <
"The History of Physical Education."History of Physical Education.Web. 14 Mar. 2012. <
Kennedy, John F. "The Soft American." Sports Illustrated 26 Dec. 1960. SI Vault. Web. 14 Mar. 2012. < (1 of 4) [3/22/2009 10:40:21 AM]>.
"Life of John F. Kennedy." - John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. Web. 14 Mar. 2012. <
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RD │Page 1 of 8
[1] Picture of President Kennedy on the first page was enlarged to allow this subject to start on the 2nd page instead of the header being separated from the contents.
[2] Changed from, “…gymnastics used…”
[3] Deleted unnecessary comma from original
[4]Restructured and combined sentences. Changed from, “…Archibald MacIaren who was a proponent for physical education. MacIaren believed that physical activity…”
[5]Separated to make its own paragraph during revision.
[6] Used to be the first sentence in the following paragraph, but, decided that it worked better at the end of this paragraph and to make the following its own.
[7] Changed from, “In his own words..” to provide clarification.
[8] This footnote actually pertains to the picture label. This has been messed up again by my adding revision notes in as footnotes, but, the picture was moved and fit into the text as well as the caption being moved so that they were together again and looked coherent. They got terribly messed up the first time they were submitted. Kind of like how they are now that I am changing things around again.
[9] Added “In fact,…”to make the sentence flow better. And stress the importance Pres. Kennedy placed on this issue.
[10]Added for clarification. Used to read, “…before his inauguration he began…”
[11]Another picture and caption that had to be adjusted to fit correctly into the final product.
[12] Sentence slightly restructured and clarification added. Used to read, “Many Americans were inspired by the 50 mile hike challenge Kennedy issued to the marine’s and took it as a personal challenge.”
[13] Added during revision
[14]Separated into two sentences. Used to read, “…for radio, intended to…”
[15]Added during revision. Used to read, “This is a problem that is not unique to our generation.”
[16] Changed from, “sad” in the original.