Development of Physical Education

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    Colonial Period

    Native American- Very active existence as they haunted, fished, canoed, ran from place to place and engaged in a lot of physical activities as they sought food, built shelters and communicated with other tribes.
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    National Period

    Interest in education grew, more schools were established for both males and females, and the growth of female private schools increased educational opportunities for women.
  • Gymnastics

    During the 1820s German gymnastics was introduced to the US by German immigrants.
  • Jahn’s Gymnastics Program

    Charles Beck introduces Jahn’s gymnastics program of exercise and apparatus to his students at Round Hill School in Northhampton, Mass. (The first school gymnastics program)
  • Young Mens Christian Association

    The first YMCA opens in the US, because of interest in gymnastics and other health-promoting activities. Physical education was added to the YMCA after the Civil War.
  • Crew Race

    First Intercollegiate competition occurred between Yale and Harvard.
  • Normal institute for Physical Education

    Established by Dioclesian Lewis, to prepare physical education teachers in boston through courses of anatomy and physiology, hygiene, and gymnastics.
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    Civil war Period -1900

    Many great leaders with new ideas began to influence the development of physical education and it became increasingly popular in schools and sports.
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    Early twenieth century

    Marked significant growth and development for physical education and sport. Changed focus from a narrow emphasis on systems of gymnastics , workout routines, and calisthenics to a broader field that includes games, sports, aquatics, dance, and outdoor actives.
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    World War I

    Physical educators began to contribute their services to the armed forces and women began to show interest in sport and physical education. Women physical educators were active in conditioning programs in communities and industries at home.
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    Golden Twenties

    Many advances in physical education occured. The term “New Physical Education” was coined by Clark Hetherington with a foundation of gymnastics and it incompasses organic development (fitness), physcomotor development (skill), character development (social) and intellectual development (mental).
  • Principles of Physical Education

    Publication emphasizing Jesse F. Williams beliefs about unity of mind and body. Argued that physical education should be included in curriculum because of its ability to develop a child as a whole.
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    Depression Years

    Health and physical education had a difficult time surviving during this time due to the stock market crash which had an effect on education since budgets were cut back which caused many physical education programs to be dropped or degraded.
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    Mid-Twentieth Century

    Physical educators and sport began to grow again, in part due to WWII. Physical training programs began to get implemented into the armed forces due to selective services examinations determing that service men weren’t physically fit. As a result, and emphasis of improving the fitness of youth began to rise.
  • Special Olympics

    The special olympics were founded