Show new stadium Is built for aorl international sporting in event pre prepared ared by national geca geographic graphic society washington D C service finland and its capital helsinki Helsing fors are busily making preparations for the olympic games opening there in the summer of 1940 recent reports indicate that finns are studying english the official language of the olympics in order to facilitate cili tate relations with their visitors many helsinki storekeepers have enrolled in courses in english and german and special classes are being held for railway employees street car conductors and the helsinki police force members of the lotta womans comans auxiliary of the finnish national guard are learning to make the favorite foods of the various countries whose nationals will participate in the olympics stadium completed the olympic stadium on the outskirts of helsinki was begun in 1934 and completed last year several severa athletic events have already been held there it was built to accommodate spectators but it has been enlarged in preparation for the olympics to take care of the elliptical running track within the stadium where the world will perhaps see the making of new records is meters in length inside the area occupied by the pow dered brick track lies a large well kept grass plot on which football and other games will be played the games will begin june 20 when the finnish climate is most favorable for the contests nearby near by lakes keep helsinki cool in the summer and extended daylight during the summer months adds to its attractiveness as a setting paavo nurmi spectacular interest in physical culture dates from the early days of the last century when finland was made a vassal of russia A finnish gymnastic and athletic association was formed only to be banned by the russians as soon as it was well established the finns however persisted in ill developing ve fine athletes who were recognized in european sporting circles in stockholm at the olympic games of 1912 hannes kolehmainen ran finland onto the map this brilliant runner and paavo nurmi are the most spectacular athletes the country has produced though finns have won laurels in a variety of other sports among them discus throwing javelin throwing high jumping and shot putting |