Guts-Muths, Johann Christoph Friedrich
GUTS-MUTHS, JOHANN CHRISTOPH FRIEDRICH (1750- 1839), German teacher and the principal founder of the German school system of gymnastics, was born at Quedlinburg on the 9th of August 1759. He was educated at the gymnasium of his native town and at Halle University; and in 1785 he went to Schnepfenthal, where he taught geography and gymnastics. His method of teaching gymnastics was expounded by him in variojis handbooks; and it was chiefly through them that gymnastics very soon came to occupy such an important position in the school system of Germany. He also did much to introduce a better method of instruction in geography. He died on the 21st of May 1839.
His principal works are Gymnastik fur die Jugend (1793); Spiele zur Vbung and Erholung des Kdrpers und Geistes fur die Jugend (1796); Turnbuch (1817); Handbuch der Geographie (1810); and a number of books constituting a Bibliothek fur Pdaagogik, Schulwesen, und die gesammte pddagogische Literatur Deutschlands. He also contributed to the VoUstandtges Handbuch der neuesien Erdbeschreibung, and along with Jacob! published Deutsches Land und deutsches Vole, the first part, Deutsches Land, being written by him.
Note - this article incorporates content from Encyclopaedia Britannica, Eleventh Edition, (1910-1911)
