Excerpt from Report on a Department of Hygiene and Physical Culture in the University of Michigan, 1870

Your committee have already obtained nearly all the in formation that could be got by correspondence, and they are able to submit, if it were desirable, a great many facts and Opinions upon the several particulars now referred to. As to some of these particulars, however, they feel the need of more information than they have been able to obtain by let ters, before coming to an absolute conclusion.

For example, if it be decided to have a gymnasium, the very first question which arises is as to its dimensions. Here, at the outset is a serious danger. At some of the colleges it is found that the gymnasiums are too small, or that they are unfortunately proportioned. One great practical authority says that whatever may be the length of the building, it must by all means be as broad as it is long. Yet at Yale the gym nasium is 120 x 50; at Amherst 70 x 40; at Dartmouth 90 x 45; at Princeton 81 x 55; at Bowdoin 75 x 30. Now, we need upon this single point alone, to have some one enquire upon the spot the results of experience as to these dimensions. None of these buildings are square. Is this fact found to be an inconvenience? It would be a pity to ascertain, after our building was up, that its utility to us would be impaired by a mistake that might have been so easily avoided, as to its size and proportions. Professor Hitchcock writes to us that he cannot introduce a very im portant and attractive method of exercise, for want of room. How unfortunate that that want was not foreseen. Dr. Pea body of Harvard writes to us: If we were to build anew we should make the gymnasium at least 25 per cent larger, and of two stories, instead of one. When we build, we want to build it as it should be the first time, without having to tear down and build anew. Too often gymnasiums are built with out consulting gymnasts; they are built apparently on a priori principles. Such a course is as foolish as it would be to build a chemical laboratory without consulting a chemist, or an astronomical observatory without getting any advice from an astronomer. This, then, is but a specimen of the practical questions which present themselves the moment we set about carrying into effect the resolution to establish a Department of Physical Culture; and your committee would repeat their statement that in order to settle these questions wisely more information must be obtained than can be pro cured through the channel of letters. Yet as the Regents have expressed a wish for such recommendations as we could make upon these questions we will give concisely the conclusions which we have drawn from our present knowledge upon the whole subject, conscious that these conclusions may require some modification under the pressure of further knowledge that may yet be obtained.

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