The Carolina Spartan. [volume] (Spartanburg, S.C.) 1852-1896, 1856-05-22
Social and Physical Training.

intellectual development at the expense Of
physical health is becoming, with each
succeeding generation, but too painfully
apparent. At the age of sixteen, our pre-
cocious boys have reached premature
manhood; and at twelve our girls begin
their career OF Irritation. Cigars and walk.
ing canes are exchanged by the former for
athletic exercises; while the latter reiec. cat,
lsthenics for silk dresses and confectionery,
aud dumb bells for diminutive beaus. Our
merchants, absorbed in business cares. find
no time to encourage those exercises which
lnvigorate the youthful frame. Fine hou.
ses and gay dresses are the principal at.
traction Of American mothers, and, from
The force OF example, necessarily become q
passion with their daughters. Wealth has
become the touchstone of respectability,
and, IN the pursuit Gift, all that makes life
delightful is rulhlessly sacrificed The i'm.
mense consumption of drugs and nosturms
throughout the United States proves con
cIuslveiy the frial condition Of the general
health. The life we lead has given rise TO
heap OF diseases which were almost un-
known to our progeuilois.
Prominent among these are dyspepsia,
anu the various nervous disorders inciden-
tai to gestrlc arrangement.
lhero are very few among US who are
blessed with that joyous elasticity Of spir
It's which Is the result Of perfect health, and
.he cause Of this condition Of general inya-
IidlSm lies III the fact that we have neglect
cd, IN our own PERSONS, and in the educa-
ton OF our children, 10 promote due OBJ.
servance of those sports and recreations
which are common 10 other countries; but
which, among us, have colue 10 be regard
ed rs indecorouS, and, above all-uuiash
ionabIe. What Is the consequence, As
people were are assuming peculiar
! type-a guant, bony, sharp.featured race,
lmpuIslve IN temperament, quick in appre-
hension, and reckless in carrying out the
projects we conceive. Disculsive readers,
rather than deep thinkers, and shallow rea-
! sonerS, rather than profound logiciaus. In.
gcnious III invention, and expert at mani
pulaI-n, we tax our faculties 10 the utmost
IN the study Improvement bearing upon
material progress, while we leave uncul;i-
waited Il taste for the beautiful, aud fail to
encourage those pleasant diversions which
'nvigoraie the body aud give buoyancy to
the mind.
The old Greeks had their chariot and
foot RACES; their boxing and wrestling
matches; quoi;s and other games; which
they selu.ou ly !ostercI, rs comLiug amuse.
mcnt with the best means Of obtaining
bodily strength and activity. The happy
consequences Of ihese physical rec,eatious
were. ;" apparent that the older physicians
JudiclousIy recommended the practice OF
them "aS a iueaus ot counteractug tho bad
effects OF increasing luxury and Incidence"
he puuclv.e upon winch gymnastic ex.
ercse, act Is evident Their immediate
, effect, says \ modern writer, "is an in.
crease both in the size and power Of the
parts exercised, in consequence Of an admi.
rabIc law which obtains in living bodies,
! that-wlihin certain limits--iu proportion
to the cNortion which il Is required to make
"A part increases not only in strength
and fitness, bat also in size. Nor does the
! beneficial influence stop here. If the exer-
ton be not carried 50 tar rs to produce ex.
ce>,lve fatigue, all other parts OF the BODY
sympalh!ze with The improving condition
OF that which Is chiefly cvaitcd; the circu.
Iation, beng excited from time 10 time bv
the exercise, acquires new vigor, and blood
beng thrown w!;h UNUSUAL force into all
parts OF the system, all the functions are
carried ON with increasing activity. ln-
Provement IN the general health is soon
manifested; and the mind il ut tile same
time Judsclou,ly cultivated acquires
strength, AMI Is rendered more capable .!
pru,ougiug cXvr,ion"
NoS, since it Is known ,Lnt the relations
existing between mind and body are So i'm.
innate that any abnormal use OF the one
reacts prcJuIicluu>.y upon the other, il bc.
comes apPHIaut Ia al! who reflect upon the
subject, that We Of the United States. by
a9Wlng those physical exercises which are
essential 10 health, weaken uur own powers
ot endurcnce and eneryate alike the physi.
cal structure and the Intellectual powers.
The reactlonary forces being thus eufeeb.ed.
our ability to resist prevailing diseases is
naturally ies,euel. and We either fall vie.
TINS TO maladi,s from which, under other
circumstances, We should wholly escape; or
recovering imper!cctly from their attacks.
Ingcr oh the remainder Of our days confirm
cr and hopeless iuvalids.
In an excellent volume recently written
upon this subject by Miss BcecEer, she
makes the Startling but truthful declaration.
that there IS general decay of constitu.
ton among the whole people Of the Uni
ted States and that in all sections Of our
country vigorous and perfectly healthy
woman Is an exception 10 the ordinary cX.
pcrlancc.' "S,au,tics,' She adds. "have
been obtained which make it probable that.
OF the wives and daughters of this nation.