Dudley Allen Sargent
Encyclopedia
Dudley Allen Sargent was a United States
educator, lecturer
and director of physical training.
, and the bay and harbor provided much opportunity for activity. His father died while Dudley was a boy, and his resulting situation in life required him to devote much of his time outside of school hours to manual labor on land and at sea, under the direction of an uncle.
During this time he joined with some other high school boys in putting up a horizontal bar and other apparatus on the high school grounds, and they started a gymnastic club. They were additionally inspired by reports of exhibitions given at Bowdoin College
, 60 miles away in Brunswick
, and gave similar public exhibitions themselves at the town hall, and in towns nearby.
In 1869, he was invited by Bowdoin College to direct the gym
nasium there. Two years later he entered the College as a student, from which he graduated (A.B.) in 1875 and in 1878 received the degree of M.D. at Yale Medical School. During his time in the medical school, he was also an instructor in gymnasics at Yale College
. After his graduation from Yale, he moved to New York City
, where he conducted a private gymnasium for a year. He assessed the physical condition of clients using a physical examination and adapted an exercise regimen on various pieces of exercise equipment accordingly.
From 1879 until his retirement in 1919, Sargent was director of the Hemenway
Gymnasium at Harvard University
. From 1879 to 1889 was assistant professor of physical training at Harvard. His nomination in 1889 for full professor was blocked by alumni on the Board of Overseers at Harvard who were annoyed about an 1885 ban the faculty athletic committee, of which Sargent was a member, had put on football. Although Sargent was accused of being opposed to football itself, the ban stemmed from “rough play and fighting.” The athletic committe was founded in 1882, Sargent being a founding member, as a pioneering effort by Harvard to regulate intercollegiate competition.
In 1881-1916 Sargent was director of the Normal School of Physical Training at Cambridge, Massachusetts
, and after 1916 was president of its successor, the Sargent School of Physical Education. This school was for the training of teachers of physical education. In 1883, it found accommodations at 20 Church Street, and in 1904 in a new building on Everett Street. Initially, only women were taught; in 1904 the school was open to men as well. Sargent challenged the Victorian tradition of females prone to fainting, and encouraged freedom of dress and vigorous activity for girls and women. Sargent taught both German
and Swedish
gymnastics although at this time the two were competing in a “battle of systems.” In 1907-16, Sargent was president of the Health Education League.
He married Ella Frazier Ledyard in 1881. They separated after a few years together, and had one child, Ledyard, who later continued his father's work.
nasium apparatus, of the Sargent Anthropometric Charts, and published:
and numerous articles and papers on physical education
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
educator, lecturer
Lecturer
Lecturer is an academic rank. In the United Kingdom, lecturer is a position at a university or similar institution, often held by academics in their early career stages, who lead research groups and supervise research students, as well as teach...
and director of physical training.
Biography
He was the son of a ship carpenter and sparmaker. His birthplace and childhood home, Belfast, Maine, was located on the west side of Penobscot BayPenobscot Bay
Penobscot Bay originates from the mouth of Maine's Penobscot River. There are many islands in this bay, and on them, some of the country's most well-known summer colonies. The bay served as portal for the one time "lumber capital of the world," namely; the city of Bangor...
, and the bay and harbor provided much opportunity for activity. His father died while Dudley was a boy, and his resulting situation in life required him to devote much of his time outside of school hours to manual labor on land and at sea, under the direction of an uncle.
During this time he joined with some other high school boys in putting up a horizontal bar and other apparatus on the high school grounds, and they started a gymnastic club. They were additionally inspired by reports of exhibitions given at Bowdoin College
Bowdoin College
Bowdoin College , founded in 1794, is an elite private liberal arts college located in the coastal Maine town of Brunswick, Maine. As of 2011, U.S. News and World Report ranks Bowdoin 6th among liberal arts colleges in the United States. At times, it was ranked as high as 4th in the country. It is...
, 60 miles away in Brunswick
Brunswick, Maine
Brunswick is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The population was 20,278 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Portland-South Portland-Biddeford metropolitan area. Brunswick is home to Bowdoin College, the Bowdoin College Museum of Art, the Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum, , and the...
, and gave similar public exhibitions themselves at the town hall, and in towns nearby.
In 1869, he was invited by Bowdoin College to direct the gym
Gym
The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, that mean a locality for both physical and intellectual education of young men...
nasium there. Two years later he entered the College as a student, from which he graduated (A.B.) in 1875 and in 1878 received the degree of M.D. at Yale Medical School. During his time in the medical school, he was also an instructor in gymnasics at Yale College
Yale College
Yale College was the official name of Yale University from 1718 to 1887. The name now refers to the undergraduate part of the university. Each undergraduate student is assigned to one of 12 residential colleges.-Residential colleges:...
. After his graduation from Yale, he moved to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, where he conducted a private gymnasium for a year. He assessed the physical condition of clients using a physical examination and adapted an exercise regimen on various pieces of exercise equipment accordingly.
From 1879 until his retirement in 1919, Sargent was director of the Hemenway
Augustus Hemenway
Augustus Hemenway was a philanthropist and public servant in Boston, Massachusetts, in the latter part of the 19th century. He was educated at Harvard University....
Gymnasium at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
. From 1879 to 1889 was assistant professor of physical training at Harvard. His nomination in 1889 for full professor was blocked by alumni on the Board of Overseers at Harvard who were annoyed about an 1885 ban the faculty athletic committee, of which Sargent was a member, had put on football. Although Sargent was accused of being opposed to football itself, the ban stemmed from “rough play and fighting.” The athletic committe was founded in 1882, Sargent being a founding member, as a pioneering effort by Harvard to regulate intercollegiate competition.
In 1881-1916 Sargent was director of the Normal School of Physical Training at Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Cambridge is home to two of the world's most prominent...
, and after 1916 was president of its successor, the Sargent School of Physical Education. This school was for the training of teachers of physical education. In 1883, it found accommodations at 20 Church Street, and in 1904 in a new building on Everett Street. Initially, only women were taught; in 1904 the school was open to men as well. Sargent challenged the Victorian tradition of females prone to fainting, and encouraged freedom of dress and vigorous activity for girls and women. Sargent taught both German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
gymnastics although at this time the two were competing in a “battle of systems.” In 1907-16, Sargent was president of the Health Education League.
He married Ella Frazier Ledyard in 1881. They separated after a few years together, and had one child, Ledyard, who later continued his father's work.
Works
He is the inventor of gymGym
The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, that mean a locality for both physical and intellectual education of young men...
nasium apparatus, of the Sargent Anthropometric Charts, and published:
- Universal Test for Strength, Speed and Endurance (1902)
- Health, Strength and Power (1904)
- Physical Education (1906)
and numerous articles and papers on physical education
Physical education
Physical education or gymnastics is a course taken during primary and secondary education that encourages psychomotor learning in a play or movement exploration setting....
.