PHYSICAL EDUCATION OF THE DEAF AND DUMB. 67 
I have the opinion that gymnastics on horizontal and parallel bars, 
srestle, ete., in the first school years of the deaf-mutes, must give place to 
‘ree exercises in simple standing, walking, running, leaping, and jumping, 
which increase the strength of breath and voice. Boys may climb up 
and down on a perpendicular bar, or practice on the rope in moderate 
height. During the first three or four school years I never allow the pre- 
scribed exercises to be exceeded. But the pupils should have at least 
three systematic lessons in gymnastics weekly till the end of the school- 
lite and still longer. The two weekly lessons in gymnastics usual in our 
oublic schools are not sufficient. Lhe gymnastic lessons during the week 
are like food that is too much to allow starving and too little to live on. 
The deaf-mutes in larger towns like to keep together ; and who can 
Jlame them for that? Even the well-educated deaf-mute feels lonely 
among hearing people, while he is well understood by his equals. Under 
these circumstances it cannot be difficult to unite the deaf-mutes who have 
eft the school. 
In the year 1888 I established with some of my former deaf-mute pupils 
a gymnastic club, which succeeds very well. The first years I conducted 
it myself, and had much pleasure with it. At present they get on very 
well without my help. One member of the club—a deaf-mute—is gym- 
nastic guard, and commands the free gymnastic exercise in oral language. 
The head masters of gymnastic exercise conduct and guide the classes by 
oral language. The club makes excursions independently and with much 
henefit. Their language of intercourse is the oral language. 
Being at present the chairman of this club, I do myself the honor to 
invite the members of the World’s Congress to visit our ‘club, which prac- 
tices four hours weekly. 
In March of the year 1884 I made the following gymnastic fixations of 
she first gymnastic class of boys of the deaf-mute school here : 
The section contained thirty-seven pupils, of whom the three eldest 
were seventeen years old, the youngest ten years; the average age was 
fourteen years. The heaviest pupil weighed 56 kg., the lightest 25 kg. The 
average weight was 38} kg. The tallest figure was, in easy position, 1.62 
m. ; in straight position, 1.64 m.; the height of the smallest boy was 1.19 
and 1.20 m.; the average height, 1.41 and 1.43 m. 
The greatest extent of the breast was, in easy position, 79 cm.; in 
straight position, 83 cm. ; the least was 56 and 59 cm.; the average width 
of the breast was 63 and 67 cm. The pupils practiced gymnastic exercise 
on an average two lessons weekly, during five years and a quarter. The 
performances were as follows : 
(¢) Bowing of the arms on the horizontal bar, from hanging stretched 
ill touching the bar with the chin : The highest fifteen times, the least 
once ; on the average, six and a half times. 
(6) Bowing of the arms in lying leaned on the parallel bars : Highest