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History of SportHistory of Sport

•Thomas Arnold head of Rugby

•School 1830’s founding father of Muscular ChristianityMuscular Christianity•Public School heads conscious of need to keep up the tone of their schools

•This took the form of a Christian education which sought not to impart religious instruction or to enrich the spiritual part of a boys nature. •Rather it developed his character in a New Testament ethic of purity, integrity and compassion

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History of Sport ... contHistory of Sport ... cont•Tom BrownTom Brown was told by his father that he expected him to

turn out a brave-helpful, truth telling Englishman and a

gentleman.

•The first 10 years of G.E.L. Cotton’s headship at

Marlborough was characterised by vandalism, brutality

and open rebellion from the boys in school.

•Organised games provided Cotton with a measure of co-

operation from the undisciplined boys.

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History of Sport …contHistory of Sport …cont

•At Marlborough College Cotton set in

motion a process which had far reaching

effects greater than any other aspect of PS

life.

• From here can be traced the origins of:

–Most codes of Football

–English amateurism

–The ideals of Olympism

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History of Sport….. contHistory of Sport….. contThe concept of athleticism

was born in the last half

of 20th C

• The link between moral excellence and athletic prowess took a firm hold and originally used as a disciplinary measure.

• According to Cotton ”games had a much higher educational and moral purpose”

• The games cult was unleashed as it could not be resisted-it was copied and justified