Duke University. Dept. of Health, Physical Education and Recreation.

The Dept. of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation (HPER) was created in 1975 by the merger of the Men's and Women's Physical Education Departments. However, formal physical education at Duke University dates back to 1902 when President Kilgo invited Wilbur "Cap" Card to return to Trinity College as Director of a new program in physical education.

Physical education began at Duke University when President Kilgo invited Wilbur "Cap" Card to return to Trinity College as Director of a new program in physical education. From 1902-1912, Card worked as both Director of the Gym and coach of various sports such as baseball. After the 1912 season, he stepped aside as coach to devote all of his time to being Director.

Under Card's direction all freshmen, sophomores and juniors were required to attend exercise periods. Card kept meticulous records noting the date of the examination, the student's age, weight, height, the girth, depth and breadth of several body parts (such as knees, thighs, shoulders, etc.), the color of hair and eyes, temperament, and other facts. From these measurements and observations he prescribed exercises that were best suited toward the physical development of each student. These physical examination volumes are located in Card's papers (see catalog).

Between 1926 and 1929, separate Men's and Women's Physical Education Departments grew out of the original department. During the 1930s, the Men's Physical Education Department incorporated a 1 hour classroom instruction (for the freshmen and sophomore students) into the required 3 hours a week of physical exercise for all students.

In the 1940s the Department of Physical Education and Athletics, under the direction of Wallace Wade, went through a period of growth. Due to the WWII war effort the V-12 Program administered by the Navy was established on Duke's campus from 1943-1945. As part of this program students received vigorous physical training 5 days a week so that they would be ready for service if called upon.

The post-WWII period of the 1950s and 1960s brought a new trend in physical education towards supervised group recreation. Elective courses in physical education method and theory were added in 1950 to help meet the increasing demand for teachers qualified to coach and teach physical education. 1960 saw the development of a voluntary intramural sports program that consisted of a dozen sports and involved a large percentage of the student population.

The Dept. of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation (HPER) was created in 1975 by the merger of the Men's and Women's Physical Education Departments. At that time the major, which had been offered to women only, was dropped as was the physical education requirement for all undergraduates. HPER offered theory courses (set of courses dealing with various aspects of physical education or in the administrative use of physical education skills); activity/skills courses (tennis, racquetball, swimming, etc.); intramurals sports program; club sports; DUPAC (adult fitness program); and a faculty fitness program

In 1980, the Chancellor Pye recommended to the Board of Trustees that credit for courses be dropped and that the department become a "non-academic unit." HPER was restructured in July 1981 and made into a division of the Office of Student Affairs. In September of 1981 the Undergraduate Faculty Council of Arts and Sciences (UFCAS) denied Chancellor Pye's recommendation that credit for HPER courses be dropped and reaffirmed HPER's ability to offer credit for activities and theory course with the UFCAS course committee approving the courses.

John A. Friedrich, chairman of Dept. of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation (HPER) from 1963-1986, came to Duke University from Michigan State University where he had directed the physical education instruction program for nine years. Friedrich served on a number of University committees including Curriculum and Policies Committee, Commencement Committee as chairman of staff marshals, The Project Wild Board, The International Club, and The Undergraduate Faculty Council. Materials from some of these committees are located in the John Friedrich papers series below. Friedrich was also on the board of directors of several local associations including the N.C. Lung Association, N.C. Heart Association, and the Durham Cancer Association.

This note was written based on information in an independent study The History of the Development of Physical Education at Duke, by Eddie Falcone and Mike Hamschin located within this collection.