Charlotte Mason did not neglect the physical education of children. This episode explores the myriad ways our children’s bodies can be developed in harmony with what is going on in their minds and hearts.

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“The object of athletics and gymnastics should be kept steadily to the front; enjoyment is good by the way, but is not the end; the end is the preparation of a body, available from crown to toe, for whatever behest ‘the gods’ may lay upon us. ‘Ye are not your own’; the divine Author of your being has given you life, and a body finely adapted for His service; He gives you the work of preserving this body in health, nourishing it in strength, and training it in fitness for whatever special work He may give you to do in His world.” (Vol. 3, pp. 102-03)

“The subject of the natural training of eye and muscles was taken up pretty fully in treating of ‘Out-of-door Life.’ I will only add, that to give the child pleasure in light and easy motion––the sort of delight in the management of his own body that a good rider finds in managing his horse––dancing, drill, calisthenics, some sort of judicious physical exercise, should make part of every day’s routine.” (Vol. 1, p. 132)

“To turn to the question of practical instruction, under the heads of ‘Science, Drawing, Manual and Physical Training,’ etc., I can do no more than repeat our convictions. We believe that education under these four heads is due to every child of whatever class.” (Vol. 3, p. 236)

“For physical training, nothing is so good as Ling’s Swedish Drill, and a few of the early exercises are within the reach of children under nine. Dancing, and the various musical drills, lend themselves to grace of movement, and give more pleasure, if less scientific training, to the ‘little people.'” (Vol. 1, p. 315)

“And here we have the reason why children should learn dancing, riding, swimming, calisthenics, every form of activity which requires a training of the muscles, at an early age: the fact being, that muscles and joints have not merely to conform themselves to new uses, but to grow to a modified pattern; and this growth and adaptation take place with the greatest facility in early youth.” (Vol 1, p. 113)

“…a desire to run and ride and row and do whatever the law of gravitation permits.” (Vol 3, p. 223)

“The tendency of some of our great games to become spectatorial, which is deplored by every man of sense, and which really constitutes a national evil and danger, is not fostered by a sound system of physical training and education, but the very reverse. The man who, as a boy, has been taught the duty and experienced the advantage and pleasure of taking exercise for himself, of a kind suitable of his age and circumstance, is not likely to sit or stand during a Saturday afternoon as spectator of a gladiatorial show, unless he can otherwise secure his own personal exercise. For my own part, I have not witnessed a cricket or football match for many years. I require the time for my own exercise.” (“Questions Proposed by the Royal Commission on Physical Education (Scotland)” Parents’ Review, Volume 14, 1903, pp. 268-276)

“But don’t think for a moment that physiology lends itself to the cult of muscle. Here is a youth whose biceps are his better part: like most of us, he gets what he aims at––some local renown as an athlete. But what does he pay for the whistle? His violent ‘sports’ do not materially increase the measure of blood which sustains him: if the muscles get more than their share, their gain implies loss elsewhere, to the brain, commonly, and, indeed, to all the vital organs. By-and-by, the sports of youth over, your brawny, broad-chested young fellow collapses; is the victim of ennui, and liver, lungs, or stomach send in their requisition for arrears of nourishment fraudulently made away with.” (Vol. 5, pp. 140-41)

“Swedish Drill is especially valuable, and many of the exercises are quite suitable for the nursery. Certain moral questions come into play in alert movements, eye-to-eye attention, prompt and intelligent replies; but it often happens that good children fail in these points for want of physical training.” (Vol. 1, p. 132)

“The training of the ear and voice is an exceedingly important part of physical culture…Drill them in pronouncing difficult words…in producing the several sounds of each vowel; and the sounds of the consonants without attendant vowels. French, taught orally, is exceedingly valuable as affording training for both ear and voice.” (Vol. 1, p. 133)

“I cannot place so high a value on drill and gymnastics as some do, though I believe that they should form part of the daily work of all schools. Drill is undoubtedly useful in giving a boy something of a soldier’s training, teaching him to give prompt obedience to the word of command, and makes him hold his head up and avoid a slouching gait. And gymnastics do much in the way of developing the muscles, and of expanding the chest, though I think that the latter object would be equally achieved by the freer games, which are more conducive both to high-spirited health and to the development of individuality and initiative. In these remarks, I have been looking at things from my own point of view as the headmaster of a school in the country. In town schools generally, games, such as football, etc., are not attainable every day, and often not at all. In such cases drill and gymnastics are the first order of importance. Drill of an active nature should always, when weather makes it possible, be in shirt sleeves or gymnastic dress.” “Questions Proposed by the Royal Commission on Physical Education (Scotland)” Parents’ Review, Volume 14, 1903, pp. 268-276)

If you would like to study along with us, here are some passages from The Home Education Series and other Parent’s Review articles that would be helpful for this episode’s topic. You may also read the series online here, or get the free Kindle version from Fisher Academy.

Home Education (Volume 1), Parts II, III (Chapter IX), and V (Chapter XXI)

School Education (Volume 3), Chapters IV and X

The Swedish Drill Teacher

Dawn Duran’s Swedish Drill Videos

A breakdown of Drill and Physical Training by Form in the P.U.S.