The Sokols built “whole” people of mind, body, spirit which included education in the arts, music, and literature.
The true value of REAL PE is the development of a whole citizen “through” movement. Classical PE valued and supported the arts. Real PE is a cross-discipline approach beyond physique that involves music, art, history, psychology, physics and math, English and communications, and so much more. PE is supposed to be the above. Physical education was never designed to be a sport-based program only for the athletically gifted or sport inclined students. Classical PE was and is designed for ALL students regardless of ability.
When it comes to a classical example of classical PE since the 1800s, we again must look at the Czech Sokols who were the best of the best across the many different systems in both their homeland and after coming to America. The Sokols taught and supported what was basically a cradle to grave system of physical culture that educated the whole person from arts to sciences and beyond. They created great citizens through physical education.
–Ron Jones, MS, Historical Kinesiologist, Physical Educator
*Source: American Sokol Organization (1965)
