Delaware State journal and statesman., 1864-02-02
ROUND SHOULDERS.


SPEAK of ground shoulders" hollow chests
and STOPPING forms. They are, perhaps, not
three persons in any chcol Of fifty pupils but
have them. 1t is so among people of nearly all
professions and occupations, sexes and ages
lndeed our whole arrangement Of society could
have been no better calculated II on purpose to
produce them Military men und sea-ca plains
are usually exempt aud 40 are indians and
those peasant women of IiAly and other countries
that carry burdens On their heads. School
teachers are often exempt, though not always
Ladies with excessive vanity often escape.
Now what are the causes Of this deformity
the consequences, and the remedy First, and
in general, round shoulders are caused by the
prevailing practice Of doing everything 10 bent
over position from childhood up, so that like
the pumpkin growing between two rails we
grow into bad iorms. The low desk in our
school'rooms, aud the, habit Of placing our books
on them and bending over to study, produce
round shoulders. ! never knew school-house
with desks high enough, and do not believe there
is one in Amerca-perhaps not in the world
They ought to be so high that bending over
them would be Impossible, and the top adiusta-
bic, 80 as to be set at any angle OF inclination.
The desks we use in all our offices, shops. and
places OF business, are constructed as il man was
hardly yet metamorphosed for some lower order
of four footed beings to what God made him
upright.
The positions which we assume in our work
tend to produce STOPPING.
The chairs We BIT in are ara mostly made for
detormed people. Persons with square should
ers are panied and made uneasy by sitting in
them. 1t is even questionable whether our
chairs Were.hot better without backs--I mean
those in which we sit TO write and do work. and
not our chairs for parlOr and sitting room use
than that they should, as they now do, crowd
the shoulders forward aud oramp the chest, aud
those with bucks should be made after a normal
and not abnormal standard
The way in which we lie in bed helps to pro-
duce round shoulders High holsters and high
er pillows on top of them may make bed look
fine, and may be very convenient for those who
wish to watch their pretty toes all night; but if
we wish to rise in the morning an inch taller
than when we went TO bed, and preserve an IN.
right form, we must not seek il by such means
True, the head should be kept higher than the
feet, but not by bending the neck or back
Let the foot of the bed be little the lowest /;
and if we lie on the back, lie without pillow
or If on the side, with one high enough to keep
the head in line with the body 9
But enough of causes which may vary for diff.
ferent persons. Let us look at Effects
First, round shoulders and STOPPING forms de.
tract from fine personal appearance, either
when standing, sitting or walking. Women like
beautiful face, eyes, feet hands, fine dress, or
namenta, splendid houses, horses, ETC., etc., and
take great palms, often run great risks of life, to
obtain them. Why not work as hard for fue
formsi
But laying aside all thoughts of good looks,
and turning for moment TO our ability to ,'do
and to dare" we find that truly graceful pos
ture is the only easy Que that where the shear
ing Of the body is not CORRECT, as in STOPPING,
we wear ourselves out by spending strength 70
support ourselves in an unnatural position that
those who go about their business gracefully, do
more, and do it easier, than the awkward.
STOPPING Is uuhealthfu. The lungs are
cramped and do not fully initiate. This brinQs
on consumption; and besides, the blood being
only half oxygenized, we only half live. Moth
ing is so important in securing good health and
and good feelings as thorough breathing.
Plato said no republic was compile without its
gymnasiums This is true of ali schools and
more, In all cities and towns the gymnastic hall.
well ventilated, lighted, and warmed, where lbe
sedentnry, the stubborn, those confined much in
DOORS both male and female, can, in appropriate
costume, throw of the restraints of a confned
life, and take vigorous body training under a
master, with music is full as important as was
the gymnasium in the days Of Plato.-Rome
journal,