Instructions in All Kinds of Gymnastic Exercises (extract)

vi preface. sical education by his work, but was also most indefatigable in his exertions to intro­ duce the subject wherever the slightest en­ couragementwasheld out to him. It was in Denmarkwhere these exerciseswere firstcon­ sidered in a national point of view. In 1803, the number of gymnastic establishments in thatcountry had alreadyamountedto fourteen, to which three thousand young men resorted. Since that period, the government has issued an orderforallotting a space of two hundied squareyards to every public school, for the purpose of gymnastic exercises. The success­ ful progress of his system in Denmark, in­ duced Gutsmuth more than ever to render it a nationalobjectin Germany; and for this purpose he made applicationto the Piussian government. The answer he received fiom the then minister of state was as follows "The bodily exercises of youth forman essen­ tial part of my plan of national education." In 1810, the gymnastic establishmentat Ber­ lin wasplaced under the direction of Jahn, through whose zeal and perseverance they