358 INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF EDUCATION. 
The science of ‘“turning” (true gymnastics) was created by Jahn, 
ocutsmuths, and other educators and leaders, at a time when Germany’s 
only hope of throwing off the Napoleonic yoke seemed to lie in a regener- 
ation of the German race itself. By restoring to its pristine vigor the 
body of the German youth, Jahn and his co-workers sought also to restore 
ndependence and strength of mind ; and how well they succeeded in this 
endeavor was shown by the bearing of their disciples in many a subse- 
yuent contest. 
The spirit of liberty, however, which the followers of Jahn had imbibed, 
and which rapidly spread into the German high-schools and universities, 
grew so Inconvenient to the organized despotism of Europe that ‘¢ turn- 
ing ” was for a season proscribed in Germany, and Jahn himself was 
rewarded for his trouble by a term of prison life. But the love of inde- 
pendence that had been implanted could not so readily be eradicated. 
The so-called ¢“ Revolution of 1848” united the best and brightest minds 
of Germany in an effort to republicanize their native land. They had 
counted, however, without that element whose aid alone could have ren- 
Jered their efforts successful—the common people—and their lot was 
‘allure and expatriation.. The great majority of this band of patriots were 
cast upon our shores, where they met with varying success in their efforts 
to begin life anew. 
One thing can always be said in their praise. Not one of them, in the 
land of their second love, ever forgot or denied those high ideals which had 
been the inspiration of their youth. These were the men that called into 
being the first organization for physical culture, the legitimate fruit of 
vhich is the present ¢“ Turner-Bund.” 
[t was certainly natural that these founders, being themselves at once 
exponents and products of the high training which the universities of their 
native land afforded, should be desirous of preserving for themselves and 
sheir posterity the advantages of German culture, literature, science, and 
art ; and believing that the preservation of language was prerequisite for 
the maintenance of those accomplishments, they ordained that the Bund 
thus formed should be German-American, and that in its proceedings, 
as well as in its interpretation of gymnastic science, the German language 
lone should be used. 
The origin of our Bund, thus traced, easily leads to an understanding 
of the fact that one of its tendencies has always been and is now an 
extremely patriotic one. Not only must every foreign-born member 
acquire the rights and duties of citizenship at the earliest practicable 
moment, but the various societies composing the Bund are held to arrange 
lectures and discussions upon the principles of pure republicanism, to 
commemorate patriotic dates and events, and to preserve from forgetful- 
ness the names of those whose lives were devoted to the cause of human 
freedom and enlightenment.