Mental growth through physical education / by Jakob Bolin.

  • Bolin, Jakob, 1863-1914.
Date:
1893?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Mental growth through physical education / by Jakob Bolin. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    nerves and brain cells connected with the eye. The molecules of these nerves and brain cells have inherited from their predecessors a tendency to move in a certain manner when stimulated by just that kind of external excitant; but not yet being organized for business, so to speak, the movements induced in them are too weak or too indefinite to call forth a sensation. Still, the work has begun. Rays upon rays stream forth incessantly, endeavoring to set up the same kind of movement among the molecules of the nervous system. Finally, these molecules, from moving hither and thither, as recruits when first drilled, become habituated to that definite movement when that same kind of excitant stimulates them, and when they have thus become veterans, are able to execute the new formation without error, a sensation is called forth. This is surely a physical education—a training of the physical organism by physical means. So with the other senses: only through the exer¬ cise of their functions are they evolved. But mental processes are possible only through sensations received and stored up in memory to be again brought forth at will and compared with others. Thus all education rests upon a physical basis, is, or at least presupposes, a physical education, a training of the abilities dormant in the physical organism, a fact which is supposed to be acknowl¬ edged by everybody, but to which is not given as much thought as it deserves. However, if we desire to give this broad meaning to the term physical education, then there is so much to be said on the topic before us, that it would involve the whole science of education, and it would be in vain to endeavor to draw the outlines of a sketch within the short time at our disposal. The intention is, however, to assert that what is commonly understood under the name of physical education, the systematic muscular work in the gymnasium, on the base-ball field, at the lawn tennis court, in the rowTboat, etc., has the power indirectly and directly to influence the growth of the mental powers and to explain in a few words how it can do so. In order to do this, it will be well for us to remember, what has already been stated, that sensations are the basis for all mental work. Without seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting or feeling, we could have no perceptions. From this immediately follows that the organs of sense, with their communications through nerve fibres with their respective brain cells, must be, not only existing, but well