Benjamin Franklin: Late 1700s physical activity was incorporated in his school, Philadelphia Academy.

Friederich Jahn: German who began Turnverein movement emphasizing gymnastics for physical activity. The Turner movement took hold in Midwestern cities.

Charles Follen: Follower of Jahn who fled from political persecution in Germany. Was employed as instructor of German at Harvard. Established gymnastics program and the first college gymnasium in the US.

Charles Beck: Follower of Jahn who became instructor of gymnastics at Round Hill School in Northampton, Mass. First school in the US to require exercise and activity as essential part of curriculum. Included gymnastics, swimming, wrestling, dancing, boxing, and other games.

Francis Lieber: Jahn follower who opened the first swimming pool in US. Took over the Boston Gymnasium, which Follen had set up following the introduction of the Harvard gymnasium.

Catherine Beecher: Valued exercise for women and rejected the German system as to strenuous for ladies. Introduced light exercises called calisthenics. Founded Hartford Female Seminary for women in 1823 and wrote popular books on physical education.

Dio Lewis: Developed “new gymnastics” that stressed agility, grace, flexibility, and general health and posture. Founded Normal Institute for physical Education in Boston in 1861. This was first physical education teacher training institution in US.

Pehr Ling: Designed system of Swedish gymnastics which focuses on light, rhythmic exercise and the medicinal value of exercise.

Hartvig Nissen: Introduced Swedish system at Swedish Health Institute in Washington, DC in 1883.

Mary Hemenway: Founded Boston Normal School of Gymnastics, which stressed Swedish system.

Nils Posse: Developed Posse Normal School to train teachers in Swedish gymnastics.

Edward Hitchcock: Professor of hygiene and physical education at Amherst College. Program included light and heavy gymnastics, marching, running, and a variety of sports. Also a leader in anthropometrics.

Dudley Sargent: Director of Hemenway Gym as Harvard. Developed extensive program that focused on gymnastics, anthropometric measurements, and physical training. Designed exercise machines.

Luther Gulick: Supervised physical training at YMCA Training School. Dedicated to use of organized games and sports as major educational focus. Helped establish Playground Association of America.