PHYSICAL FITNESS
[To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR.] SIR,—The correspondence in your columns regarding physical fitness is of great interest to all who have at heart the physical well-being of the nation. It may be helpful if some informa- tion is iven as to what is already being done towards im- proving the physique of the rising generation.
In this country the physical training of youth after school- leaving age rests with voluntary organizations. Among these The Boys' Brigade, which for the past fifty years has been quietly carrying on its work of training boys from twelve to eighteen years of age, is prominent.
The Brigade at the present time has a membership of 116,000 with another 60,000 in the preparatory movement for younger boys. While the organization has a religious basis, physical training plays a large part in the curriculum. The efficiency of the training is manifest to anyone who has seen the Annual Demonstration in the Royal Albert Hall. This Demonstration has been held for the past thirty years, and so great is the public interest that this year it was necessary to take the Hall for two successive evenings.
The physical training of the Boys is carried on in a sys- tematic manner under expert tuition, and it may interest your readers to know that courses of training for instructors have been held annually for the past fifteen years at the Guildhall. Over a hundred men are attending this course at present, and similar work is being carried on in many parts of the country.
It is realized that a large proportion of our adolescent population do not have the benefit of the training provided by the voluntary organizations. If your paper could use its influence in the direction of securing a great number of men and women prepared to devote some of their leisure to the training of boys and girls in such work, it would be of ines- timable value. Should any of your readers feel drawn to undertaking such work in the oldest of the boys' organizations we should be glad to hear from them. They could be assured that they would find such service very much worth while.—
Brigade Secretary.
The Boys' Brigade, Abbey House, Westminster, S.W.1.
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