"Section 2. The Council shall promote the efficacy of existing programs and the launching of additional programs which will enhance the fitness of American youth. The Council shall seek to coordinate, stimulate, and improve the functions of Federal agencies with respect to the fitness of youth.

"Section 3. Each executive department, the head of which is referred to in section 1 of this order, shall, as may be necessary for the purpose of effectuating the provisions of this order, furnish assistance to the Council in accordance with section 214 of the act of May 3, 1945, 59 Stat. 134 (31 U.S. C. 691)."

Mr. Shane MacCarthy was appointed Executive Director of the Council on September 6, 1956. In addition to the Director, the Council staff is composed of Mr. G. Ott Romney, Deputy Executive Director, 3 staff members and 7 others in secretarial or clerical positions.

To "advise and assist the Executive Director" an Interagency Advisory Group, made up of representatives of the Council members, was established in October, 1956.

President's Citizens Advisory Committee on the Fitness of American Youth The Executive order further provides:

"Section 4. There is hereby established the President's Citizens Advisory Committee on the Fitness of American Youth (hereinafter rereferred to as the Advisory Committee). The Advisory Committee shall be composed of such members as the President may designate, and each member shall serve at the pleasure of the President. A member of the Advisory Committee shall be designated by the President as the Chairman of the Advisory Committee.

"Section 5. The Advisory Committee shall consider and evaluate existing and prospective governmental and private measures conducive to the achievement of a happier, healthier, and more completely fit American youth."

On May 31, 1957, Mr. Carter Burgess was designated Chairman of the President's Citizens Advisory Committee, and with him 120 members were appointed for a 1-year term.

Meeting of the Council With the Advisory Committee

The authority for convening the First Annual Conference of the President's Council on Youth Fitness and the President's Citizens Advisory

Committee stemmed from that portion of the Executive order which stated:

"The Council shall be the President's official link with the Advisory Committee. The Council shall meet with the Advisory Committee at least once a year for the purpose of determining the progress made with respect to the problems relating to the fitness of American youth, and, taking into account the results of such meetings and other factors, shall prepare and present reports on this subject to the President."

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Organization of the Conference

The entire field of youth fitness was the area of interest for all conferees. With an aim toward maximum productivity, the conferees were divided into six subject areas each with a Council Member, a Chairman, a Vice Chairman, and a Secretary selected from the membership of the Council's Interagency Advisory Group.

The six subject areas were:

Youth Fitness and Special Interest Organizations.
Youth Fitness Facilities and Programs.

Harnessing Community Resources for Youth Fitness.

Leadership for Youth Fitness.

Youth Fitness Research.

Telling the Youth Fitness Story.

The following specific topics were discussed by all conferees:

Proposed Legislation To Establish Council on Youth Fitness.
Pilot Projects for Youth Fitness.

Youth Fitness Committees.

A National Youth Advisory Board.

Proposed Annual National Youth Fitness Week.

During the Conference, Mr. Carter Burgess appointed an Executive Committee of the President's Ciitzens Advisory Committee for continuing liaison and action by all Committee members. This Executive Committee, composed of 12 persons, were those who acted as Chairmen and Vice Chairmen of the 6 discussion groups.

Guidance to the conferees was given by the Vice President who stated in his opening remarks:

"What we're interested in primarily is a program of action which is attainable. We would prefer that the reports and the conclusions put more emphasis on what we can do, and less emphasis on the reasoning behind the various conclusions that you may reach. I say that recognizing that it is essential for us to have study groups in which we go into the various theories, the controversies that we may have among ourselves as to what the scope of the problem is, and how it should be solved. But I know that you, being as busy as you are, would certainly feel with great justification, that your time had been wasted unless something positive came from this conference. And so

this is our major aim, let us at the conclusion of our 2-day meeting here at West Point, if we possibly can, lay before the President and before the Nation some concrete proposals. If we're able to do that we will have made the trip worthwhile as far as these conferees who are here today are concerned."