Date of Award:

5-1947

Document Type:

Thesis

Degree Name:

Master of Science (MS)

Department:

Kinesiology and Health Science

Department name when degree awarded

Physical Education

Committee Chair(s)

Hyrum B. Hunsaker

Committee

Hyrum B. Hunsaker

Abstract

Intramural sports appeared in schools long before interscholastic athletics. Students within schools formed clubs and competed against one another. This student intramural competition increased until in 1915 Michigan and Ohio State each inaugurated a department of intramural athletics under the direction of one man. In 1915 John Wilce wrote the first treatise on intramural sports. In the army camps of World War I this type of intramural activity received a tremendous boost. In 1925 the high schools throughout the country began organizing intramural departments.

By 1941 the enthusiasm of physical education instructors for a comprehensive intramural program had become so great that over 400 of them met in Chicago to discuss high school intramural activities.(15) Their discussions brought out the great interest that was being developed in intramural sports. Even then many schools were hiring skilled instructors to direct intramural programs, and educational administrators, in planning new buildings, were including space and equipment for intramural sports.

Since 1941 the scope and popularity of the intramural sports program has grown even faster. A number of outstanding changes have taken place in intramural sports; (12) the curriculum has been enlarged from five to ten or more sports, more money has been appropriated by school boards for these activities, more satisfactory arrangements for the use of varsity equipment, and facilities have been worked out. Today the intramural sports program is serving as a laboratory for physical education classes; (8) skills taught in these classes a re used in intramural sports programs. Intramural sports are fast becoming part of the regular school curriculum instead of just as extra-curricular activity.

Checksum

90e54a439f55fc510ee3de56276cc523

Download

Share

COinS

Copyright for this work is retained by the student. If you have any questions regarding the inclusion of this work in the Digital Commons, please email us at .