the following Declaration of Principles of Pan American Physical Education, which it denominates The Declaration of Mexico: 1. Physical education in America is a factor which contributes to the reaffirmation of the unity of the continent, and raises the biological and moral potential of our countries. 2. Physical education must reach beyond the school to the end that it may assume a social and human dimension which will influence the individual throughout his entire life. The foregoing principle takes for granted: (a) That it is the obligation of the State to guarantee that the child will be born under physical and social conditions which will assure him of a normal life, and that his childhood will be spent in joyful and happy environment in which he will have all the elements necessary for the development of his physical, aesthetic and psychic development. (b) That the school must guarantee the growth of biological and moral potentialities, as well as the physical development of the child and the youth for his future activity as a productive element in peace, and in the face of aggression, as a powerful guarantee of continental defense. (c) That the State must continue the work of Physical Education in the post-school period, keeping it in the reach of the people either by its own action or through State aid to private initiative, insuring to everyone, both men and women, the possibility and the means of participation, not in the capacity of spectators, but as actual participants. Only through scientific application to the great masses of the population can Physical Education exercise its beneficent influence on the whole people. 3. The first step in the realization of the work of Pan American Physical Education lies in the proper training of the experts who are to direct and teach it. The physical education program of a nation has a direct relationship with the efficiency of its teachers, and its value in the program of general education is intimately bound to the technical and scientific training of its specialized personnel. 4. Taking into account the important values of physical education in school work, and the special characteristics which distinguish it from the body of ot her school subjects, the teachers should be trained in special institutes or schools of university level, with the independence necessary for the organization of studies in keeping with their own teaching staff. 5. The peculiar conditions of the American republics as regards race, Unity of biological doctrine means American program of physical education, it is necessary first to establish a set of scientific and philosophical principles which will serve as a working base so that, regardless of the special features of each nation, it will be possible to set up common general standards. 2. The fundamental principles of physical education in America should be inspired in the democratic ideas. which obtain in the institutional life of our countries. They should fill the peculiar needs of each country and mold themselves into a National Law of Physical Education. II. Whereas it is necessary to establish fundamental conditions which should satisfy a system of physical education, the Second Pan American Con Unity of technical doctrine means that formative physical activities should be made the foundation of all physical education work. They should be grad-gress of Physical Education agrees: uated according to the age and sex of the individual, and tend to produce the harmonious development of the individual as a whole. Unity of social doctrine implies the basic idea of establishing unrestricted physical education for the masses, centering the action on the school and proletarian masses, all subject to didactic and organic techniques in keeping with the social reality. 6. The concept of continental unity and power should strengthen in the peoples of our hemisphere the basic idea that each individual is a unit of human capital which ought to be potentially increased in health, vigor, and capacity for his contribution to the economic and moral progress of the peoples. 7. Physical education is an essential America, a fertile field of brotherhood Mexico, D. F., October 14, 1946 Education I. Whereas it is desirable to adopt a Pan American program of physical education, setting up its fundamental bases and principles as well as its common objectives, the Second Pan American Congress of Physical Education resolves: 1. That, for the elaboration of a Pan 1. That it should be directed to the training of the whole individual to be a useful element in society. 2. That it should be based on philosophical and scientific principles. 3. That it should consider the evolution of the individual biologically, psychically, and socially. 4. That it should take geographical conditions and the possibilities of actual realization into account. 5. That it should be based on the essential objectives of the general educational program established by each nation. III. With reference to the concept of physical education as a part of education, the Second Pan American Congress of Physical Education declares: 1. That physical education is the basis of all education and should have a bio-psycho-socio-philosophical char acter. IV. In regard to the place of physical education in the educational program and in the school schedule, the Second Pan American Congress of Physical Education believes: 1. That physical education, as the basis of general education, should have the same rank as the other subjects in the program of studies. 2. That physical education should be related closely to the other educative activities of the school, especially to hygiene and medical services. 3. That physical education be allotted the time necessary for the fulfillment of its task, in keeping with the importance assigned to it in the preceding point. 4. That in regard to the time (hour) at which physical education should be presented, the special geographical conditions of each region should be taken into consideration. V. Whereas it is necessary to determine precisely the activities to be inIcluded in the physical education programs of elementary, secondary, professional, industrial, and higher schools, the Second Pan American Congress of Physical Education resolves: 1. That it is necessary to adopt some general points of view (criteria) to serve as a base in the elaboration of a program, the following being recommended for consideration: (a) Know the philosophic and scientific principles upon which the respective country's general education program is based, especially those which have reference to physical education; (b) Establish the general and specific objectives of physical education, at the respective levels of instruction; (c) Determine the biological, physical, and social traits of the child and the characteristics of the process of physical education in the different school grades ; (d) Ascertain the time and frequency alloted to physical education in programs now in force; (e) Determine the time that should be devoted to the three periods of the school year: Organization of work, period of realization, and the period of completion and evaluation; (f) Indicate the order of importance the various materials and activities in the physical education program of each grade or division should have; (g) Distribute physical education activities according to the environment in which they are to take place. 2. The Second Pan American Congress of Physical Education further resolves to publish in the Annals of the Congress all papers dealing with this topic, to the end that the various countries may adopt in their respective programs the most appropriate physical education activities. VI. In the matter of general principles to govern the practical tests for the evaluation of systematic physical activities, the Second Pan American Congress of Physical Education resolves: To recommend the substitution, in place of the traditional physical education examination, of a Certificate of Physical Education which will permit the pupil to be promoted from one group to another, and effort being made to insure that the pupil's performance be correlated statistically with the various anthropometric physical data employed as a basis for the initial classification. VII. In regard to the topic "Gymnastic Progression," the Second Pan American Congress of Physical Education holds: 1. That it is not advisable to adopt a rigid gymnastic progression, inasmuch as, in general, the sequence of exercises is subordinated to the biophysical and social conditions of the pupil, to the material conditions of work, and to the character of the environment. 2. That notwithstanding the above, it is possible to set up general norms which will serve as a base for a session of gymnastic exercises-norms tending to insure the proper amount of exercise and serving as a guide to the teacher so that, in harmony with his own knowledge, initiative, and experience, he may succeed in attaining the desired results. VIII. The Second Pan American Congress of Physical Education, considering: That the writings of Dr. Inezil Penna Marinho under the titles of "Physical Education for the Physically Defectives," "Subsidies for the Study of the Problem of Physical Education for Mental Defectives," and "Physical Education for Deaf-mutes," constitute a magnificent contribution to the study of physical education imparted to children of these classes, resolves: That these writings be published in the Annals of the Second Congress. Whereas : 1. Physical education for girls should emphasize the traits that are peculiar to women; 2. The objectives of physical education for girls should correspond to the psychical, somatic, and functional characteristics of the sex; and 3. Considerations of organic-functional, methodological, and experimental character do not indicate the necessity of establishing different treatment in physical education for boys and girls under 10 years of age, as recommended in Sections VI and XVI of the report of the First Pan American Congress of Physical Education, The Second Pan American Congress of Physical Education resolves: That physical education activities for girls should be set up according to objectives of their own, both formative and recreational, and should tend always to develop the natural activities of grace, beauty, and femininity. The games and sports for girls should be governed by special regulations. Biology, Medicine, and Science I. The Second Pan American Congress of Physical Education, considering: 1. That homogeneous grouping of individuals for the practice of physical education is a medical-educational problem of inescapable necessity; 2. That the proper dosage (measurement of the quantity of exercise) and the employment of the different types demand the formation of groups with equivalent capacities; 3. That homogeneous grouping has as its object the bringing together in a single group of individuals who make possible the application (employment) of exercises that are similar in intensity and complexity; 4. That there should be homogeneous grouping for each type of activity; and 5. That classification should be based further on weight, age, stature, and vitality, Recommends: 1. That for all homogeneous grouping, consideration should be given to: (a) The complete medical examination. (b) The biometric and characterological examination. (c) Tests of physical fitness. 2. That the Morphological Equilibrium Index, which by resolution of the Second Congress will be published in the Report of the Congress, be employed in the countries of the continent to effect homogeneous grouping among the school children, as an experiment controlled by physicians and teachers, to the end that the results may be presented before the Third Congress. II. The Second Pan American Congress of Physical Education, considering: 1. That the Pignet Index is not adequate for the determination of individual worth; 2. That the Morphological Equilib fication which results upon its combinarium Index and the typological classition with stature is regarded as more acceptable; and 3. That in the evaluation of the individual, special importance is laid on vital capacity, cal aspects, permits a view of the whole individual; 2. That through the medium of statistics this record permits the comparative study of both school children and adult athletes of America; 3. That uniformity in examination methods and in nomenclature (terminology) is indispensable, Resolves: 1. To recommend the adoption of a uniform Pan American Record Card for the recording of identical data which will constitute a clear, synthetic, and graphic picture of the health and total physical aptitude (fitness) of the examinee. 2. That the Pan American Institute of Physical Education appoint a committee to formulate the record card. IV. The Second Pan American Congress of Physical Education, considering: 1. That it is necessary to determine the normal average type of the races of America, and 2. That to do so, it is necessary that initial work be carried on in each country, Recommends: 1. That the official organization (agency) in charge of physical education in each country should sponsor activity of this nature, the results to be presented to future Pan American Congresses. V. The Second Pan American Congress of Physical Education, considering: 1. That the intervention (cooperation) of the physical specialist in physical education is fundamental to the provision of a scientific basis for this. instruction so that it may protect the health of the individual, Recommends: 1. That in all physical education activity, the participation of a medical doctor specialized in physical education, collaborating with the experts in this field of education in the general orientation which the activities must have, is indispensable. VI. The Second Pan American Congress of Physical Education, considering: 1. That the health of the individuals working in the various branches of physical education should be protected; 2. That those who as a consequence of athletic and sports practices may have suffered accidents or injuries should be brought back to normal condition; 3. That the value which kinesiology has in traumatology should be recognized: 4. That there does not exist in the American countries an adequate number of studies dealing with physiological questions to serve as a foundation for building the basis of scientific physical education; and 5. That the field of action of the physical education teacher and the kinesiologist should be delimited, Recommends: 1. The establishment of kinesiological sanitariums or centers of functional therapy, either independent or annexed to hospital services. 2. Experimental research on the glucose tolerance curve in muscular work (activity) and its relations to physical activity; and also the investigation of the consumption of thiamine in muscular work. 3. That the physical education teacher who is not specialized in kinesiology should not work in kinesitherapy, and, similarly, that the kinesiologist who does not hold a title in physical education should not act as a teacher of that subject. 4. That in ascertaining the degree of efficiency of the circulatory system the Martinet test be used, because of the simplicity of its application-although this test should not be regarded as absolute, greater significance being given to X-rays and electrocardiographs. 5. That the frequency of the strength syndrome in athletes be determined as a work of experimental and statistical nature. 6. That women should not be deprived of the opportunity to engage in physical exercises during the catamenia, for such exercises play a salutary role in the disturbances of this period which are not related to infectious processes. 7. That physical exercises should not be engaged in during the days of the menorrhea and are indicated in the epoch of the menopause. 8. That exercises may be engaged in during the period of gestation (pregnancy) and after childbirth, according to individual conditions. 9. That the recommendations contained in numbers 6, 7, and 8 are based on the work of physical education teachers under the supervision and direction of physicians. VII. The Second Pan American Congress of Physical Education considering: 1. That the measurement of the physical capacity of the pupils by the method of minimum tests, determining which tests should be given and what should be their practical application, is a mat ter of importance for physical education in school; 2. That the papers (studies) presented in the Congress make it possible to reach definite solutions, Resolves: 1. To recommend that this problem be included in the Agenda of the Third Congress and that the official agencies of physical education give it due attention, to the end that experimental findings may be reported in this regard. VIII. The Second Pan American Congress of Physical Education, considering: 1. That it is not possible to dictate any resolution whatsoever concerning the problem of physical education and sports in regions of high altitude, because of lack of sufficient scientific data, Recommends: That this problem be included in the Agenda of the Third Congress. IX. The Second Pan American Congress of Physical Education, considering: 1. That individuals who receive physical education should be given correct and normal nourishment; 2. That the solution of the problem of nourishment should be based on an hygienic-economic criterion which calls for the collaboration of dietitians and dietologists; 3. That a diet proper for physical work should be given; 4. That physical education will be efficacious in the improvement of the physical conditions of the child only when he is given a balanced diet, Recomends: 1. To urge the governments of the American Republics to give greater attention to the problem of undernourishment among children and youth, thus bringing about a decrease in child undernourishment. 2. That a course in children's nutrition and diet be included in the study of programs of the Physical Education Institute. 3. That a diet proper for physical activities should contain the necessary elements on the following base: (a) Sources of vitamin complex B; meat, yeast and preparations that contain these. (b) Sources of alkaline values, especially fruits and vegetables (green). (c) For work requiring rapid and continuous contraction, sources of creation or of its chemical forerunners (broth, meat, jelly). (d) Adequate distribution of these foods during the periods in which sports tests are to be held. (Concluded in June issue) |