Physical Education & Culture

Featuring 95 articles (144,000 words) written by more than 65 women from 1832 to 1899, including 60 illustrations, this volume of the Sports She Wrote series reveals the evolution of women's physical education and exercise in American society.

The articles highlight the emergence of the “New Woman” who challenged traditional notions of femininity. Reports from two pivotal gatherings, the 1874 Congress of the Association for the Advancement of Woman and the 1889 Boston Physical Training Conference, include excerpts from attendees and prominent women presenters.

Physical culture at Wellesley College and a section on Vassar's field days from 1895 to 1899 portray the emphasis placed on physical education and athletics in women’s colleges.

Society was shocked when many women developed an interest in boxing, which began with punching bags and sparring as a strength-promoting exercise. One section of this volume features women’s coverage of the 1897 heavyweight prizefight between James Corbett and Robert Fitzsimmons, offering unique perspectives on the most masculine of sports and the first bout to be filmed and shown in theatres.

The volume concludes with a discourse on women's athleticism, featuring academic essays from The Nineteenth Century magazine, reflecting conflicting societal attitudes towards female sports participation and presaging the pendulum swinging against women’s athletics. These essays reveal a complex narrative of progress and regression in women's sports history, influencing perceptions for generations to come.

Additional related articles are available in the following volumes of the Sports She Wrote series: Diana’s Fitness, Fashion & Beauty; 7 Exercise Manuals; Fitness, Grace, Health & Beauty; and Adelia Brainerd, The Outdoor Woman of Harper’s Bazar.

Sports She Wrote is a 31-volume time-capsule of primary documents written by more than 500 women in the 19th century.