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500
Greek Influence
500 BCE: The major period of Greek influence. The two major key elements of the education of Greek boys were “gymnastics” and “music”. -
First Recognized Teacher of Physical Education
Charles Beck became the first recognized teacher of physical education in the United Sates. He developed a program of German gymnastics at the Round Hill School in NorthHampton. -
YMCA Movement
The YMCA movement began in England and was devoted to character education and physical activity. -
Important Leader in Physical Education
Dudley Sargent was appointed assistant professor of physical training and director of the Hemenway Gymnasium at Harvard College. Sargent was among the most important early leaders in physical education, and his emphasis on scientific approaches provided fundamental direction for the emerging field -
Adelphi Conference
The Adelphi Conference was held. William G. Anderson became the first secretary for the Association for the Advancement of Physical Education. Forty-nine of the sixty assembled participants took membership in the new organization. This meeting marked the birth of a profession. -
Recognization
History of PE Physical Education is recognized as curricular field by National Education Association. -
International Congress on Education
The International Congress on Education was held. This conference marked the end of the era in which gymnastics dominated the physical-education curriculum and it marked the beginning of the modern era of physical education. The physical-education profession began to view education rather than medicine as its parent field. -
Master's in Physical Education
The first master’s-degree program in physical education began at Teachers College. -
Academy of Physical Education
Luther Halsey Gulick created the Academy of Physical Education. -
Physical Education Curriculum
The Physical Education Curriculum was published. This quickly became the standard model for planning PE curricula. -
ACSM
The ACSM was founded by physiologists, physical educators and physicians. ACSM began to certify practitioners. Now, there are six certification fields. -
Birth of the discipline movement
Physical educators were forced to begin to redefine their field as an academic discipline rather than as an applied professional enterprise. -
AAKPE
In the early 1990's, -the initiative to change the name of university programs from “physical education” to “kinesiology", thus reflecting the academic rather than professional, focus of the programs. The American Academy of Physical Education changed to the American Academy of Kinesiology and Physical education (AAKPE).
