Gymnastics,
women's
- Early physical education
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Early Physical Education
Physical education was first taught at a school in Canada by Henry Goodwin, who in 1853 was appointed to Egerton Ryerson's teacher-training institution, the Toronto Normal and Model School. Eleven years later, physical education was also taught to students of Mount Allison’s Ladies’ College.
Mount Allison was among the first private schools in Canada to offer physical education for females. When the Female Branch of the Mount Allison Wesleyan Academy (later known as the Ladies’ College) opened in 1854, a small gymnasium, located next to the main college building, was constructed just one year later. In 1864, the Ladies’ College received its first instructor in calisthenics, Julia A. Goodhue, who was replaced two years later by Mary E. Pickard. Both instructors also taught mathematics at the Ladies' College.
Mount Allison Ladies' College calisthenics class, early 1890s
Julia A. Goodhue, first Ladies' College calisthenics instructor, 1864-1866
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This project was funded by the Marjorie Young Bell Endowment Fund