Although Presidents Day is a holiday to commemorate the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and George Washington, I'd like to take a few minutes to honor the man who birthed the President's Council on Youth Fitness: Dwight D. Eisenhower.
The lack of muscular fitness in America's youth was brought to Eisenhower's attention by an article that appeared in the New York State Journal of Medicine. Dr. Hans Kraus of New York University and colleague Bonnie Prudden (under the name Ruth P. Hirschland) reported results of a study that assessed the fitness of 4,400 6-16 year olds in U.S. public schools utilizing the Kraus-Weber fitness test. The same test was administered to 3,000 students in the same age range in Austria, Italy, and Switzerland. 56 percent of American students failed at least one of the test portions, including activities such as toe touches, trunk lifts, and sit ups, compared to an 8 percent failure rate of their European counterparts.
In the midst of the Cold War, the United States was labeled a nation going soft. Literally.
In 1955, Kraus and Prudden presented at a White House luncheon. They shared their findings with 30 government leaders, medical professionals and sports authorities. About a year later, Kraus and Prudden along with over 100 government leaders, health practitioners, educators and civic organizations attended the President's Conference on the Fitness of American Youth held at the United States Naval Academy. During this conference, a few of the recommendations included:
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The public must be made aware of the problem of establishing and maintaining fitness
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Fitness must be popularized and promoted among youth
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Schools should have more time, equipment, and personnel for physical education, with a focus on less athletically gifted students
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Girls should have equal opportunity for physical fitness
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Community recreational facilities should be increased with better use of existing facilities
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Adults should be role models for physical fitness in the home, in school and in the community
On July 16, 1956, Eisenhower created the President's Council on Youth Fitness as an agency to educate, motivate, and encourage communities and individuals to increase their fitness through more active lifestyles. In his letter to participants of the Conference on the Fitness of American Youth, Eisenhower stated “...The fitness of our young people is essentially a home and local problem.” Interestingly, over 50 years later our nation is still troubled with the lack of fitness and nutrition in not only our youth, but the adult population as well. This Presidents Day, put those fantastic retail sales to good use and purchase something that will enhance your muscle fitness and overall health.
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