heart attack was bad for the heart. Karpovich became a champion of the benefits of strength and conditioning after an eyewitness account of bodybuilders’ flexibility at a pres- entation at the College in 1940. He had been just as skeptical as others in his field, but once he saw with his own eyes what a muscular man could accomplish, he changed his views and began conducting research to prove it. He performed experiments at Springfield College designed to disprove several theories on weight training, including that lifting made men slower, that it was physically dangerous and could cause severe injury to the body and heart, and that it “primarily appealed to men
showcased physical education as more than just play, as something that has significant scientific and medical benefits. Karpovich and Cureton gave advice that sounds like common sense today, but also backed it up with scientific proof. Charles Redmond ’68, G’71,
dean of the School of Health, Physical Education, and Recre- ation, which houses the new research center, agrees that Springfield College is carrying on the legacy of Cureton and Karpovich.“There are so many misconceptions in health and wellness, and critical thinking followed up with research can answer questions for people,” explains Redmond.“The facilities, faces, and names may have changed, but I think those who came before us, especially Karpovich and Cureton,would be proud of what is going on here.” In a research study at Spring-
Thomas Cureton, third from right, who served on the President's Council on Physical Fitness under five U.S. presi- dents and was the recipient of several Council awards, at the White House with President Lyndon B. Johnson
of lower than normal intelligence.”Today, strength training is a part of most every athlete’s regimen and has been shown to improve flexibility, decrease the risk of injury, and improve athletic performance. It has also changed perceptions about a variety of sports, and the athletic performance in those sports. At Springfield College and later at the
University of Illinois, Cureton did research on the benefits of a cardiovascular exercise regi- men as a means of maintaining fitness for life, especially a healthy heart. This research also led Cureton to suggest cardio as a means of reconditioning the heart after a heart attack. At the time, this was something so radical that many doctors were convinced he would kill someone with his advice. But, his work
TRIANGLE 1 Vol. 81, No. 3
field College from 1936, Cureton wrote, “Research is a means of establishing educa- tional leadership . . . [It] indicates progressive change in curriculum and teaching methods. . . . History is being made. . . .Will Springfield continue to lead?” As we look at where the College is today,we know that the answer is certainly “yes”.
The Evolution of Humanics
TWO SPRINGFIELD COLLEGE LEGENDS can be credited with developing and instituting the Humanics philosophy. Dr. Luther Halsey Gulick, second director of the Physical Depart- ment, was first to put forth this holistic approach to education,while the term Humanics was institutionalized at Springfield College by Dr. Laurence Locke Doggett, the first full-time president of Springfield College. Today, as first-year students begin their
college education, they are offered a new course, the Humanics Seminar, that introduces
them to the concept of Humanics and prepares them to utilize it throughout their educational experience. The concept for the
Luther Halsey Gulick
Humanics Seminar was devel- oped by the College’s Leadership Task Force, a committee of faculty members and administrators working to continue and expand efforts to instill lead- ership on a broad level. The Task Force was established in 2002 by Flynn and charged with developing a compre- hensive leadership program
for the entire student body.“We wanted each student at Springfield College to leave having received some type of leadership develop- ment experience,” explains Charlene Elvers, a member of the Task Force,who is the director of Student Volunteer Programs, and a Human- ics Seminar instructor. The Humanics Seminar,which was piloted
in the spring of 2008 and now has seven sections,was the result of discussions on how to implement leadership training on a large scale. The seminar is an elective course for first-year students that provides an introduc- tion to the Humanics philosophy, focusing on leadership and diversity and providing an orientation to the communities surrounding the College. Each section is paired with a community organization,where students serve throughout the semester.“The course essentially prepares them for the service they will perform as upper- classmen, either during their intern- ship or fieldwork or through service-learning,” says Elvers.“We hope that after completing the seminar, students will be Continued on next page
Laurence Locke Doggett
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