Children's riqht to physical exercise and recreation. Sociopedagogical phenomenon of Henryk Jordan

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Children's riqht to physical exercise and recreation. Sociopedagogical phenomenon of Henryk Jordan

Danuta Marzec

Mazhets Danuta, Pluskota Mahdalena. Children's right to physical exercise and recreation. Sociopedagogical phenomenon of Henryk Jordan / Danuta Mazhets, Mahdalena Pluskota // Problems of Modern Psychology: Collection of research papers of Kamianets-Podilskyi Ivan Ohienko National University, G.S. Kostiuk Institute of Psychology at the National Academy of Pedagogical Science of Ukraine / edited by S.D.Maksymenko, L.A.Onufriieva. - Issue 25. - Kamianets-Podilsky: Aksioma, 2014. - Р 203-215.

Данута Мажец, Магдалена Плюскота. Право дітей на фізичні впра-ви та відпочинок. Соціопедагогічний феномен Генріха Джордана. Ген-ріх Джордан - польський лікар, суспільний діяч і засновник спортивної теми - парків для дітей. Він був великим прихильником прав дітей на фізичні вправи та відпочинок. Як практикуючий лікар, що виявляв ін-терес до нових тенденцій у сфері освіти і змін, які відбувалися у педаго-гіці у другій половині 19 століття, Джордан вбачав переваги здоров'я у фізичних вправах та перебуванні на свіжому повітрі, надзвичайно важ-ливих для сучасного суспільства, яке підпадає під негативний вплив розвитку технологій. Він використовував найновіші досягнення науки Західної Європи і Північної Америки у польській традиційній фізич-ній освіті. До того ж він використовував свій власний аналіз соціаль-них потреб у цій сфері і розвинув свою оригінальну, універсальну та, водночас, факультативну освітню систему в місті Кракові. Завдяки проектам і діяльності було запроваджено право переїжджати та відпочи-вати багатьом поколінням дітей і молоді Кракова та Галичини й інших польських земель наприкінці дев'ятнадцятого і на початку двадцятого століть. Особливо варте уваги зростання інтересу до Джорданівської ідеї стосовно спортивної форми польського суспільства завдяки поширенню гігієни та фізичного виховання дітей і молоді на відкритому повітрі: на сонці та воді у русі під час спортивних ігор і вправ.

Нова ідея Джордана стосується об'єднання фізичного виховання із проблемою здоров'я, оскільки фізична активність розглядається як один із найбільш важливих факторів на ниві просвітництва сучасної здорової молоді. Заняття і ідеї, які Джордан впроваджував у життя молодих лю-дей, є доречними і зберігають свою цінність аж до сьогодення. Прикла-дами можуть бути парки для прогулянок по всій Польщі. Парки слави, як і доля знаменитих людей, цікавила багатьох, відійшли в небуття. Але найбільш важливим, мабуть, є той факт, що ідея Джордана «відкрила» спроможність дітей самих упоратися зі своїм відпочинком та розвагами. Сучасні парки для розваг є іншими, відмінними від попередніх, але не-зважаючи на це, традиція продовжує ідеї і думки свого автора.

Ключові слова: фізичні вправи, відпочинок, спорт, переваги здоров'я, фізичне виховання.

Данута Мажец, Магдалена Плюскота. Право детей на физические упражнения и отдых. Социопедагогичний феномен Генриха Джордана. Генрих Джордан - польский врач, общественный деятель и основатель спортивной темы - парков для детей. Он был большим сторонником прав детей на физические упражнения и отдых. Как практикующий врач, про-являл интерес к новым тенденциям в сфере образования и изменений, которые происходили в педагогике во второй половине 19 века, Джордан видел преимущества здоровья в физических упражнениях и пребывании на свежем воздухе, чрезвычайно важных для современного общества, ко-торое подпадает под негативное влияние развития технологий. Он исполь-зовал новейшие достижения науки Западной Европы и Северной Америки в польском традионном физическом образовании. К тому же, он исполь-зовал свой собственный анализ социальных потребностей в этой сфере и развил свою оригинальную, универсальную и одновременно факультатив-ную образовательную систему в городе Краков. Благодаря его проектам и деятельности возникло право переезжать и отдыхать многим поколениям детей и молодежи Кракова, Галиции и других польских земель в конце девятнадцатого и в начале двадцатого века. Особенно заслуживает вни-мания рост интереса к Джордановской идеи относительно спортивной формы польского общества благодаря распространению гигиены и физи-ческого воспитания детей и молодежи на открытом воздухе: на солнце и в воде в движении во время спортивных игр и упражнений.

Новая идея Джордана касается объединения физического воспита-ния с проблемой здоровья, поскольку физическая активность рассма-тривается как один из наиболее важных факторов на ниве просвещения современной здоровой молодёжи. Занятия и идеи, которые Джордан внедрял в жизнь молодых людей, уместны и сохраняют свою ценность до настоящего. Примерами могут быть парки для прогулок по всей Польше. Парки славы, как и судьба знаменитых людей, интересовали многих, отошли в небытие. Но наиболее важным, кажется, является тот факт, что идея Джордана «открыла» способность детей самостоятельно справиться со своим отдыхом и развлечениями. Современные парки для развлечений являются другими, отличными от предыдущих, но несмо-тря на это, традиция продолжает идеи и мысли его автора.

Ключевые слова: физические упражнения, отдых, спорт, преиму-щества здоровья, физическое воспитание.

1. Importance of physical activity of children

Bodily movement is fundamental in development of physical fitness. Stimulation with physical fitness affects anatomical growth of muscles, joints, bones, brain and nervous centres. Furthermore, physical activity affects level of physical capacity and improves motor characteristics. Through stimulation, it drives development of physical fitness.

Playing is one of the main forms of actions taken by humans, typical of the childhood, and represents an indispensable type of activity at this age. It is also a way to satisfy motor, cognitive, emotional and social needs, and it represents the means of educational influence which contributes to development of a child's personality.

The factors that affect games and activities are health, motor development, intelligence, gender, traditions, season of the year, environment, socioeconomic conditions, amount of free time and specific facilities (Pomykalo, 1989, p. 933).

Physical games and activities help to relax and wind down. They represent a coherent structure i.e. the goal, subject's contents motor contents and organization. The motor contents include, for example, games based on running, jumping, orientation and order-based, dexterity and throwing. They have a broad and consistent effect on the child's body. They improve physical capacity as well as physical and mental fitness and are conducive to relaxation and active resting. Physical exercise helps to develop all motor characteristics, such as strength, speed, agility, endurance and coordination which are essential in everyday life. It is also related to the concept of physical culture. In the most ancient ages, physical education was a part of natural education, which consisted in participation of children and young people in everyday activities (Adach, 1989).

Games based on physical activity are supposed to improve motor abilities of children. Motor abilities are understood to mean the characteristics which concern human motor system. The movement performed by a child might vary: simple and complex, short and long, fast and slow, strong and gentle etc.(Mynarski 1995, pp. 45 - 46).

The main motor abilities include:

• strength

• endurance

• speed

• agility

There is a specific interrelation between the motor abilities, which depends on the control through the nervous system (Osinski, 1996, p. 11).

Games and activities based on physical exercise stimulate using all the types of natural human bodily movement, thus becoming a universal means of physical education. The most of these games and activities involve movements performed using bigger muscle groups rather than the muscles that usually perform small and isolated movements. When playing, movements are repeated in their most natural forms and in a variety of combinations, which are not limited by any conditions. They are also characterized by rich mental contents as they require participants to concentrate attention, use natural aptitudes and orientation, strong will etc.(Trzesniowski, 1995).

In children from 1 to 6 years of age, games based on physical activity strengthen all the body parts, both external and internal. They increase the strength of the muscles, improve coordination and agility of movements, increase endurance and help to maintain proper body posture in children (Wlaznik, 1999, pp. 18 - 21).

In addition, games have an essential effect on development of senses, especially of vision, hearing, touch and muscular sensitivity, and they have essential importance to the process of education (Okon, 1987, pp. 33 - 36).

2. Henryk Jordan: physician and social activist

Henryk Jordan (1842-1907) was a physician, social activist, advocate of children's rights to physical activity and recreation and a founder of sports theme parks for young people (Bubula, 2007). He was born in the city of Przemysl in Poland. Jordan's father was a private tutor and his mother ran a dormitory for girls (initially in Ternopil and then in Lviv). Henryk attended a grammar school in Tarnow. With a threat of being expelled from school for taking part in patriotic manifestations, Jordan fleed to Triest where, in 1862, he passed the secondary school examinations. He started his medical studies at the university in Vienna. In 1863-1871, Jordan continued his studies at the Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland (Zmichrowska 1998).

He travelled a lot during the studies, e.g. to Berlin, New York or Sweden. In 1881, he became a member of the Krakow City Council. He was involved in the initiatives of the sanitary commission and often expressed concerns over the health status of young people working as craftsmen. He proposed implementation of education in Sokol Gymnastic Society (Stefaniak 2009). Jordan delivered lectures about the effect of hygiene on health, life and work of the people. Furthermore, he expressed his views in Przewodnik Higieniczny (Guide to Hygiene) journal.

Being a member of the National Parliament in 1895-1902, Henryk Jordan often appealed for improving sanitary conditions in Polish hospitals. He was a three-time president of the Krakow's Medical Society and a founder and president of the Society for Care and Health. Jordan was a keen promoter of construction of cheap flats for workers and established the Young Craftsmen Association, the Association for Hot Meals for Poor Children, the Polish Catholic Association of Handicraft and Working Students and the Association for Cheap Flats for Workers. Furthermore, since 1892, he was a president in the Association for Help to Poor Students of Popular Schools (Duda, 1977).

Jordan was particularly interested in new tendencies in the sciences in the field of education and the changes that were occurring in the pedagogical science in the second half of the 21st century. Based on his own analysis of social needs, Jordan indicated health benefits of athletic activity and playing outdoors as essential to modern societies which had become exposed to various negative effects of the developing technology. With regard to Polish tradition of physical education, he used the most recent scientific achievements from the Western Europe and North America. Furthermore, Jordan developed his own original and universal system extracurricular education and implemented it in the city of Krakow.

In 1889, he leased a land from the Krakow City Council which was located in the Krakow's district Blonia in order to organize a playground for children and young people. In this land, Jordan created a multifunctional park with trees and plants, fields equipped with sports facilities and buildings used in case of rainy weather, bathrooms with showers and statues of prominent figures in the history of Poland (Bukowiec, 2008).

The starting point for his educational system was ensuring the conditions for physical development of children and young people. Being very critical of excessive individualism, Jordan was striving to establish habits and customs of a team's life. He emphasized comprehensive development of personality in physical, mental, polytechnic moral and aesthetic terms (H^dzelek 1967). The workshops he introduced had both educational and social objectives, which were particularly important under conditions of the economic recession that hit the Galicia region in Poland. He promoted the ideas of patriotic education and civil defence through «Pulk Dzieci Krakowskich» (Krakow's Children Regiment) (Stefaniak 2010, p. 15).

The park soon became a model for the centres for extra-curricular education and recreation for children and young people. Due to the innovative educational methods, it left behind similar institutions abroad. The Jordan's initiative started a broader social movement in other districts of Poland. It is worth noting that the Warsaw's Hygienic Association obtained, from the Warsaw City Council, the areas for playgrounds for children. The funds for construction works were obtained from an industrialist Wilhelm Rau. Rau's parks promoted the Jordan's ideas of games and activities throughout the Kingdom of Poland. Before World War I, this represented a system of comprehensive extracurricular education.

Henryk Jordan died on 18th May 1907 in Krakow. His biographers emphasize that he deserved to be considered as a pioneer of modern physical education and a leading figure in the pedagogical school of thought in Europe.

Jordan parks were a very innovative initiative among educational programs those days. His contribution was so enormous and his work was so original, that all the institutions of this kind were named in Poland Ogrody Jordanowskie (Jordan Gardens) as a memorial to Henryk Jordan (Kaminski, 1946).

The basic assumption of the Jordan's educational system was his declaration of the idea: Anyone who looks forward to the future and wants us, Polish nation, to weather the storms of history, must do everything to make us physically strong and everything that there are more and more of us. Otherwise our efforts are futile: stronger and numerous neighbours will consume us: it is not just an imagination and there is no other alternative. The greatness of the nation depends first and foremost on physical fitness of its members. Everything we do for the nation's health should lay the foundations of our power and the glory of the whole nation (Smarzynski, 1964 - 1965).

During the classes in the Park, the focus was not only on the appropriate performance of the exercises but also on the discipline in the patrols, following orders, good organization and proper manners. The activities in the Park were designed for young people from schools and young craftsman. Young people from schools, organized into groups, participated in the activities just after school while the craftsmen came on Sundays and during public holiday. Each group had a guide who was responsible for organization and execution of games and activities. The schedules were detailed and carefully planned under the supervision of Henryk Jordan. Jordan Park became a centre for development of more comprehensive educational programs. One innovative educational initiative was polytechnic education. Jordan developed the workshops for manual activities. The workshops had both educational and social objectives, which were particularly important under conditions of economic underdevelopment in Galicia region in Poland.

Jordan ideas, widely acclaimed by medical and pedagogical environments and considerable part of teachers of physical education, caused a revolution in previous views concerning the contents and forms of physical education and its health-related and pedagogical functions in the process of development of children and young people in Poland.

Prof. Henryk Jordan emphasized the educational function of games and activities performed outdoors. This view resulted from his reflection and a critical approach to the educational methodologies of the education system used in the Galicia region those days.

Jordan presented his viewpoint in 1891 in a lecture titled «About young people's playing» he gave in the sports hall of the Sokol Gymnastic Society in Lviv: ....It has been found repeatedly that, after a long and vigorous playing, young people return, without any coercion, to hard work ... since playing prepares humans .... for more responsible tasks and helps maintain healthy body, fresh mind and a harmony between the spirit and healthy body. A boy who's got used to this, will certainly sacrifice his own interest to the greatest interest, his motherland. We should think about becoming physically brave in order for us to survive and be more numerous. Therefore, we should care for the bravery and health of our young people for the future of our motherland (Smarzynski, 1958).

Jordan pointed to the natural need for physical activity in the group of peers and emphasized social and educational functions of outdoor games and activities. According to Jordan, the educational function of playing consists in development of the skills necessary in social life and such traits as stamina, patience, self-control, ability to win and lose, subordination without limiting expression of your own thoughts and ideas. According to Jordan, collective playing based on physical activity develops orientation, independence, motivates and forms a mature personality in a young person.

Henryk Jordan promoted educational care for young craftsmen, particularly those who were far from their families and left without parents and entertainment during leisure time. Jordan decided to make the park available to this group of young people also on Sundays and public holidays. The introductory activities were aimed at increasing the level of hygiene and then a specific educational programme started to be implemented.

Jordan was a founder of the Polish Catholic Association of Handicraft and Working Students. He also organized choral singing and established the Harmonia Choir and an orchestra. Both of them immediately gained in popularity. It is also noticeable that young people sang patriotic songs in front of the statues of prominent Poles and Jordan gave lectures that instilled love for the motherland and set the perspectives for fighting for independence (Stefaniak, 2010, p. 15).

In order to attract as many young craftsmen as possible, he organized free meals: breakfasts and afternoon cream teas and the most frequent participants were given the savings books with the first payment already made.

The substantial effect on increasing the absence was from implementation of uniforms that could be purchased at either low prices or on hire purchase. This helped create two disciplined patrols with uniforms. Each winter season ended in April with a demonstration of physical fitness of young craftsmen.

Young people also participated in sightseeing excursions and Kosciuszko feasts where young people played the roles of Kosynierzy (Polish peasant volunteer soldiers, roughly translated as Scythemen) in the Battle of Raclawice reenactments.

Jordan Park was also the first centre for civil defence for young people. Young boys who participated in the military exercises wore special uniforms. Older ones were taught how to use weapons.

Jordan was convinced that he created a real school that taught not only subordination and discipline, but also stimulated patriotic attitudes. Young military patrols had their own standards with white and blue colours with the Krakow's coat of arms that read «I Pulk Dzieci Krakowskich» (1st Krakow's Children Regiment). The boys who performed well in physical exercise classes were awarded a rank of drum major or chor^zy (chor^zy was then a term used to denote a warrant officer in the army). The 1sth Krakow's Children Regiment was later fighting for Poland's independence.

Educational activity of the Park was oriented towards stimulation of the enthusiasm for working, exercise and harmonious life in a team and society. The events, especially those organized at the end of a school year, were aimed at development of patriotic attitudes.

In 1906, Jordan introduced basic forms of polytechnic education in the Park. He established workshops for secondary schools that developed skills of carpentry, turnery, toolmaking as well as planting flowers and vegetables. Jordan considered workshops and working in the gardens as values of moral education, with particular focus on development of conscientiousness, diligence, strong will, discipline and respect for the common good.

Jordan was a member of the Society of Teachers from Secondary and Tertiary Schools (Towarzystwo Nauczycieli Szkol Srednich i Wyzszych TNSW). Both in general assembly meetings and in the Krakow's club of the above society, Jordan gave lectures on e.g. cooperation of the families with the school, improving the level of hygiene and the need for employing school doctors.

The Krakow's club of TNSW signed a petition to the TNSW's department in Lviv, which addressed it to the National School Council and the ministry in Viena. The petition requested employment of school doctors in secondary schools, implementation of obligatory classes of gymnastics and physical exercise games during longer breaks (supervised by teachers) and elongation of breaks between lessons from 5 to 10 minutes and one longer break to 30 minutes.

Jordan also made effort to implement a system of education for physical education teachers at the tertiary level.

This plan was started from organization of the courses for guides, who organized games and playing in the Park. The course participants were recruited among the teachers from community schools and activists of Sokol Gymnastics School.

In 1895, two-year courses for physical education teachers were started at the Jagiellonian University in Krakow. Similar courses were also introduced in the Lviv University.

In the beginning, the course participants included students from the Faculty of Philosophy and Medicine. Later, the courses were also organized for the graduates from schools of education.

In 1913, after the death of Jordan, the courses were transformed into the Physical Education Department, which made physical education a university major. This model of the studies was present in Poland during the interwar period.

After the World War II, the tradition of the Jordan Parks was revived in 1956. This was the year when a citizen's committee was established to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Henryk Jordan's death. The Committee was later transformed into the Society for Henryk Jordan Park. The society prepared its own statute, programme of activities and established a board. The Park's land was reconstructed.

At present, the society organizes feasts in commemoration of important days in Polish history, e.g. Constitution of May 3, 1791 or National Independence Day. The typical events organized during these celebrations include arts contests for children, festivals of patriotic songs and athletic competitions.

Conclusions. In conclusion, it should be emphasized that Henryk Jordan «....was one of the first in the world and Europe and undoubtedly the first in Poland to transform the physical education that was carried out in stuffy gyms into exercising outdoors. He pointed to modern means of physical education i.e. gymnastics, games and playing in the natural environment, in fresh air and the sun. Jordan was a pioneer who overcome the passive attitude of Polish society in the field of physical culture and emphasized the need for a comprehensive physical education for all young generations, which would become healthy and ready not only for working but also for fighting for their motherland»(Smarzynski 1958, p. 242).

The most significant pedagogical output of Henryk Jordan includes his fundamental ideas for the educational system, such as critical approach to the individualism observed in the attitudes of Poles (which was eliminated by Jordan in his educational work through formation and establishing habits and customs of a team's life that was supposed to be harmonious). Furthermore, his main focus was on team-based education and comprehensive development of an individual in physical, mental, polytechnic, moral and aesthetic terms. Educational work in Jordan Park was focused mainly on helping children and young people live as a team. The generation of young people was taught obedience and discipline and prepared for achievement of the previously adopted goals and tasks through gymnastic exercises, team games and playing. An essential component in team education was orientation towards a comprehensive individual education of children and young people. It is impossible to neglect the fact that physical fitness played the most important role among all the factors contributing to individual development of a young person. Therefore, Jordan's work is focused on physical exercises. According to Jordan, regular physical activity leads to stabilization, whereas the most effective way to release the excessive vital energy of the young people is games, playing and gymnastics in the summer period and ice-skating and manual works in winter (Smarzynski 1958, p. 214 - 215).

Henryk Jordan saw the functions of playing in the context of health, development and education. He argued that games and playing satisfy the natural need for physical activity and express fundamental abilities which develop such personality traits as: emotional stability, discipline, self-control or ability to express thought.

The key methods of educational influence on the young people were being a role model, pedagogical gentleness, exactness and regularity at work, pedagogical optimism and ability to endear to those in care. These traits caused that young people trusted their teachers and felt thankful to their teachers.

educational pedagogical teacher

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