June) in all districts, and pedagogical questions were discussed. The public and the press manifested great interest in the meetings. One of the questions discussed, in Solleftea, was whether the catechism, in its present form, was a text-book for children. Most earnest was the discussion, and a resolution was adopted that religious instruction should not be limited to head and mind, but should be a matter of heart and soul. A revision of the catechism was deemed necessary. At Linköping the subjects discussed were vacations, amount of instruction, right of teachers to punish, teaching of temperance principles in the common schools. It was decided to carry out the decree of November 4, 1892, which required the teaching of the nature and effect of intoxicants upon the system, by instructing the children in every grade as to such matters-a time period to be set apart for this. In Stockholm it was decided to introduce the principles of domestic economy into the Swedish schools for girls. Vacation study.-Summer courses for advanced study are held in different parts of Sweden. The aim is to train more thoroughly in special lines of study. These courses, in 1893, covered general subjects for the benefit of the people at large, more specific subjects for teachers of the common schools and for those in attendance on the higher schools for girls. The reports, as presented in the Svensk Läraretidning, indicate great interest among those under instruction. Excursions were undertaken in the interests of geological study; museums, libraries, and general fine-art collections were visited. Lecture course.-University lectures at Upsala in 1893 covered ancient history (Israels älsta historia); Scandinavian history; Sweden during the Reformation period (Sveriges Statistik under Reformationstider, 1520-1611); the earth's evolution from the geological standpoint; psychology; the mother tongue, from the grammatical and scientific standpoint; the Reformation period; mammalia; evolution at different periods of the earth's history. The time plan included the dates August 14 to 26, and, after the general presentation of the thesis, there was discussion. These lectures seem also to include visits to museums and other points which would add to the general understanding of the subject presented. EDUCATIONAL LITERATURE AND REPORTS. The publications of each year add to the general educational progress of a nation, and the regular reports furnish information for special study. Classed among the pedagogical works for the years 1889-1893 are the following: Avhandlingar och program utgivna vid Svenska och Finska Akademier och skolor under åren 1855-1890. Bibliografi av Aksel G. S. Josephson. (Bibliography of publications of Swedish and Finnish academies and schools, 1855--'90.) 4°. Upsala, 'Grundlinger till föreläsninger, 1893. Foreläsningar och öfningar vid Kongl. Universitet i Upsala, höst-terminen 1892. (Lecture course in Upsala University.) 8°. Upsala, 1892. Föreningen för skollofskolonier. Centralstyrelsens berättelse för år 1890. (Vacation-colony associations.) 12o. Stockholm, 1891. Gymnastika dagöfningar för folksskolan af C. H. Liedbeck. (Gymnastics for people's schools.) 4°. Stockholm, 1891. Inbjudningsskrifter till de högtidligheter hvarmed trehundraårsminnet af Upsala möte kommer att firas i Upsala den 5-7 September 1893. (Tercentenary at Upsala.) 4o. Upsala, 1893. Kants transscendentala deduktion af kategorierna. I. Akademisk afhandling af Hans Larsson. (Kant's Categories.) 8°. Lund, 1893. Nääs modellserier. Metodiska anvisningar för modellernas utförande till tjänst för lärare och vid själfstudium, af Alfr. Johansson. (Slöjd according to Nääs methods, for home study.) 8°. Stockholm, 1890. Normalritningar till folkskoleträdgårdar jämte beskrifning och kortfattade anvisningar rörande trädgårdsskötsel säsom undervisningsämme i folkskolan, utgifna på föranstaltande af Stiftelsen Lars Hiertas minne. (On teaching of horticulture in the public schools.) 4°. Stockholm, 1890. Palmgrenska Samskolan i Stockholm. Stockholm, 1892. (Description of Palmgren's School.) 12. Rationella gymnastiköfningar och sund idrott inom landets olika uppfostringsanstalter, af Kapten C. H. Norlander. (Rational gymnastics and their effect.) 8°. Lund, 1893. Utlåtande af fakulteter och sektioner samt det större konsistoriet vid Universitet i Upsala angående den s. k. Universitetskomitens förslag och betänkande. (Faculty examinations.) 8°. Upsala, 1889. The reports issued regularly are quite numerous. Among them may be mentioned: Acta Universitatis Lundensis, 1891-'92. 8°. Lund, 1892. Beskowska skolan i Stockholm, läseåret 1891-'92. (Report of Beskowska School.) 8°. Stockholm, 1892. Inbjudning till öfvervarande af årsexamen vid högre realläroverket i Stockholm, vårterminen 1893. (Realschool report.) 4°. Stockholm, 1893. Inbjudning till öfvervarande af årsexamina vid högre Latinläroverket å Norrmalm samt Jakobs och Östermalms lägre allmänna läroverk, värterminen 1893. (Latin and secondary school reports.) 4o. Stockholm, 1893. Kongl. tekniska högskolan i Stockholm. Program för läseåret 1892-1893. (Technical school report.) 12o. Stockholm, 1892. Nya elementarskolan i Stockholm. Årsredogörelse, 1892-'93. (Secondary school report.) 4. Stockholm, 1893. Redogörelse för verksamheten vid högre lärarinne-seminarium och den därmed förenade normalskolan för flickor under läseåret 1892-1893. (Normal school report.) 4o. Stockholm, 1893. Redogörelse för Kongl. Universitetet i Upsala under det akademiska året 1890-1891. (Report of University at Upsala.) 8. Upsala, 1891. Stockholms stads folkskolor. Berättelse för ären 1890, 1891, 1892. (Report of Stockholm's people's schools.) 8°. Stockholm, 1890-1892. Sveriges officiela statistik. Berättelse om statens allmänna läroverk för gossar, läseåret 1889-1890. (Burgher school reports.) 4°. Stockholm, 1893. Sveriges offentliga bibliotek, Stockholm, Upsala, Lund. Göteborg: Accessions katalog 7, 1892. (Accessions to public libraries.) 8°. Stockholm, 1893. Upsala Universitets katalog för vårterminen 1891. (Catalogue of Upsala University.) 8°. Upsala, 1891. ED 92-29 CHAPTER XIII. PHYSICAL TRAINING.' 1. Historical sketch.-(I) Physical training in Greece-(II) In Rome-(III) In ancient Germany; the Middle Ages; the period of neglect, and the transition from ancient to modern gymnastics; the renascence of physical training in Germany and other European countries; gymnastics in Saxony—(IV) In America in general; in three typical cities, viz, St. Louis, Cincinnati, and Boston. 2. Essential features of the principal systems of physical training represented in this country, viz, the Swedish system, the German system, Dr. Sargent's system, and the Delsarte system. 3. Suggestions concerning school gymnasiums. 4. Statistics of physical training in American city school systems, including (a) cities which have regular systems and employ specialists (Tables 1 and 3), (b) those which employ no specialist, but require instruction by class teachers (Tables 2 and 4), and (c) those which formally permit gymnastic exercise (Table 5). I.-IN GREECE. THE OLDEST DESCRIPTION OF ATHLETIC GAMES. During the siege of Troy, when Achilles had slain Hector after a mighty combat and had stripped from him the bronze armor which he had taken from the body of Patroclus, Achilles' first thought was for his dead comrade, who still lay unburied and unbewailed. Dragging the corpse of Hector with them, the Greeks proceeded to their ships, and there made lamentations around the dead Patroclus, Achilles leading their mourning. A funeral feast was prepared, and oxen, sheep, goats, and boars were killed until blood flowed on all sides of the corpse. After they had eaten their mournful meal, they retired to their tents to rest. The dawn of the morning found the Grecian chiefs once again weeping around their dead. Agamemnon sent men and mules to gather wood, and built a funeral pyre, to which the body was borne with extravagant manifestations of woe, the flowing-haired Greeks cutting off their locks and heaping them upon the corpse. After the pile had been consumed by fire and the bones of Patroclus had been gathered up and placed in the urn, Achilles detained the multitude there and from his ships brought forth, as prizes for the This paper was prepared by Mr. James C. Boykin. funeral games, caldrons, and tripods, and horses, and mules, and strong oxen, and fair-girdled women, and shining steel. For the first in the chariot race he offered a maid of peerless form and an eared tripod; for the second, a 6-year-old horse, unbroken; for the third, a goodly caldron yet untouched by fire; for the fourth, two talents of gold; and for the fifth, a two-handled urn. As the prize in the boxing match he promised a 6-year-old mule, and to the vanquished a goblet. Next in order came the wrestling match, in which the victor was to be rewarded with a tripod for the hearth, which the Greeks valued at 12 oxen, and the vanquished was to receive a damsel, skilled in household arts, whom they esteemed to be worth 4 oxen. For the winner in the foot race there was set forth a silver-wrought bowl, in beauty by far the best in all the earth; for the second, an ox, and for the third, half a talent of gold. Then Achilles brought into the ring a ponderous spear and a caldron embossed with flowers; for these the throwers of the javelin contended. The contests which these prizes and this occasion evoked were of the most exciting description, and anything less than a full transcription of Homer's stirring lines would fail to do them justice. Such fullness is impossible, but a few of the details may be given to further indicate the antiquity and character of the funeral games. In the chariot race Eumelus, Diomedes, Menelaus, Antilochus, and Meriones took part, but the fifth prize was not claimed. Achilles placed it in Nestor's hands as a memento of the games, since age lay heavy on Nestor's limbs and forbade him to contend. He took the prize and said: Son, thou hast spoken rightly, for these limbs Are strong no longer; neither feet nor hands Move on each side with vigor as of yore. Would I were but as young, with strength as great, As when the Epeians in Buprasium laid King Amarynceus in the sepulcher, And funeral games were offered by his sons. Such was I once. Now feats like these Belong to other younger men, and I, Though eminent among the heroes once, Must do as sad old age admonishes. ' The translation is that of William Cullen Bryant. |