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Physical Education—Gymnastics Demonstrations

[By 1880 it had become] the motto of all the Vereins to include physical education in the public school program through systematic public relations. . . . The principle activity consisted of gymnastics demonstrations to which members of the city school boards were occasionally invited. Such gymnastics shows generally took place on Sundays and concluded with a dance . . .

The Social Turnverein finally ventured into scheduling a gymnastics show on a week-night in Tomlinson Hall, duly considering the prejudice—justified or unjustified—of Anglo-Americans against Sunday entertainment. It was a big success and the financial result was the best ever, despite earlier reservations about its outcome. A short time afterwards, physical education was included in the curriculum of the local schools, first on a trial basis, then permanently. The Germans on the school board, J[ohn] P. Frenzel, C[lemens] Vonnegut and especially C. Löper, willingly supported the cause.

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