That afternoon Dick and Dave took Mr. Morton around to "The Blade"
office. Right at the outset Mr. Pollock jumped at the idea.
"Prescott," he cried, "you've sprung a big idea. 'The Blade'
will feature this idea for days to come. You may have a column,
or a column and a half every day, and 'The Blade' will also back
it up on the editorial page. Now, go ahead and get your stuff
in shape. Above all, have interviews with prominent men, especially
employers, setting forth the benefit that ought to come to the
young people and to the city at large. Take as your keynote the
idea that the city's duty is just as great to provide physical
education as it is to supply learning out of textbooks. You'll
know how to go ahead on that line, Prescott."
By the next day Gridley had something new to talk about. By the
time three days had passed the matter was being discussed with
great seriousness.
Employers saw, and said that the time young men spent in a gym.
would not be spent in billiard rooms or other resorts of a harmful
or useless character. Young women who went to the gym. would
be home and in bed early, instead of staying up most of the night
at a dance. All who entered the gym. classes would begin to think
about their bodily condition and plan to improve it. Improved
bodies meant a better grade of work and increased pay.
Dick wrote splendidly on the subject. "The Blade," editorially,
gave Dick & Co.
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