Dr. Szabó Lajos: A magyar ifjúság testi nevelésének története (A Sportmúzeum Kincsei 5. Budapest, 2004)

Testnevelés a középiskolákban a XIX-XX. század fordulóján

THE FiCTHS FOR MODERNIZING PHYSICAL EDUCATION manifested themselves mainly in the syllabuses of secondary schools, as this age-group is able to acquire more specialized motion elements. By 1890 it became evident that the motion elements of physical education were very out-of-date, the lessons were boring mainly because of the German-type gymnastics order. The first step in developing gymnastic education into physical education was done by the National Public Health Council which proposed the expanding of the motion elements of gymnastics with certain elements of track and field and other games. Skating, swimming and fencing were also included. The proposal was handed in by Albert Berzeviczy. In 1891 they organized the 1st National Gymnastics Competition with participation of 60 towns, 101 schools and 3000 students. More and more specialists turned to Swedish gymnastics and the book of János Maurer (Theory of Gymnastics) described already elements taken over from the running, jumping and throwing events of track and field. He wrote about physical educational games and the chances of involving the "English kicking" game, football. The most outstanding figure of this era was János Kmetykó who further developed the theoretical and practical work of Elek Matolay and János Maurer. Swedish "pedagogical exercises" were introduced for the first 15 minutes (bench, wall-bars, beams, vaulting boxes). The Hungarian physical education system (1910-1940) was mainly based on Swedish gymnastics, but involved elements of German gymnastics, physical exercise games and English outdoor sports, too. Most of the schools were equipped with gym-halls by 1914 and more and more students started doing sports in social sports clubs.