A February 11, 1896 article from the Springfield Union News that recounts William Blaikie’s “entertaining and pleasing” lecture, given the previous night in Association Hall. After an introduction by General Secretary Mayor, Blaikie argued that education of the body is as important as educating the mind and that Americans often neglect their bodies while cultivating their minds. He says that the entire body needs to be equally developed, and that most sports develop one portion abnormally. Blaikie recommends running as a cure for most ailments, arguing that the exercise is cheaper than paying medical bills, and suggests that Springfield people go to the river for exercise, where they can row, bathe, and skate.
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William Blaikie was born in York, New York (May 24, 1843 – 1904). He graduated from Harvard in 1866 and then from the Harvard Law School in 1868. During his time at Harvard and after, he was actively involved with the crew team. Following law school, Blaikie was commissioner of the United States Court of Claims for eight years. He pioneered the field of weightlifting, and he lectured and wrote several articles and two books on physical education and health: How to Get Strong and How to Stay So (1879), a book used at Springfield College for years, and Sound Bodies for our Boys and Girls (1884). In 1888, Blaikie was also the President of the American Association for the Advancement of Physical Education (AAAPE). Blaikie was a Trustee of the School for Christian Workers, 1889-1890, now Springfield College.
First page is ripped on the bottom left side:
