The New York herald., 1864-12-23
S K A TIN G..
THE BALL UP YESTERDAY.
~~~~~~~~~~~>~~>~~~~>~~~ Ms
Inauguration Of the Great Winter Out Door
Sport on the Park Ponds
the SLIDING MANIA ELSEWHERE.
SOME REFLECTIONS on THE SUBJECT,
S K A TIN G
THE BALL UP YESTERDAY.
THE SLIDING MANIA ELSEWHERE

are frozen over, and JOY rcgus supreme among The
Skaters Alter half dozen Disappointment caused b.
the cks character Of the weather. the clear
yielded themselves up 70 the icy n1usncs Of General
Jack Frost end the prospect Is that they will continue
subject to that frigid commander for good spell.
hs Ice yesterday afternoco In splendid condition
notwithstanding the heavy snowfall Of tho preceding day
Men had bsea set TO work h suoh strong foroe. and
worked with such good viii tho moment the snow ceased
falling that the large pond was found IN beautiful condi
tiou shortly aetsr Here and thers wore lttls
mounds and ridges Of hardened snow, bat generally
speaking the 10y surface smooth glass and as
slippery n wen could be- Smguiary enough, consider.
Ing the speudid opportunity the atendapceof skaters
WAS By no means large. only about I'VE thousand pso
pe. at the highest estimate be the pond
a. any given oment bot the sport reishod all the
better owing 70 thst very Circumstances by thso whose
enterprise and passionate ove Of the prompted
to sncoansr tbs intensely cold gale for sho purpose OF
oyng the nrst days skating IN tho Park. ihe slim
attendance is 10 bc explained 10 soms at least
BY the fact thasthe familiar sigualths red bai-was
not displayed on the railroad cars contrary to the
observed during the skating tho last few win
ers Why this singular omission oocurred Ia the business
Of the railroad companies, who, doubtless had their
sreasonsall sufficient, It 10 to be hopedor faiiiag 70
acqualnt the public point upon which Information
might reasonably have bsen expected.
The sport yesterday enjoyed thoroughly. Men, wo
men and children made up the sssembaRe skaters
tho sliding continued TO iato hour without the OCCUR
renee Of single accident OF any note whatever The
arrangements established by tho Park
about the last year. the sw changes observ
able much for the better. The skates out
cheaper rates. ditto sliding cAirs refreshments
be had as reasonable rates ut all licensed
BY the managers OF tho Park. Increased accommoda-
ona afforded to persons who prefer TO look at the
grand Of skating without participating in tho
sport themselves. CommodSous buiidings hsvs been
erected along the banks Of the pond and there splendid
Wow Of the animating sceue may bo enoysd with per-
Of those not on skates-an immunity which Was mot
always certain before, whom people without skates
sired 70 see any Of the dsghfu amuse mont In many
other respects, which e 10 Unnecessary to spocy the
attention Of the Commissioners the
the public % strikingiy exemp pliaed.
The wonderful progress made In skating and other
hessssl sxsseisea suggests reflections wsoh may
not be entirely out OF plaoe 10 ths connection.
1At& ASSOCIATED ACTION.
One Of The most noticeable peouartes OF the Amert
can intellect is decidedly associated action. From the
important enterprises. carried out by Influential
companies, down 70 organizations for amusement
oosusry 10 rs,erence 20 Tits latter phase ot t. summsr
sports and woter diversions alike placed under the
10 o on
u0t begin until they have formed themselves ino club
sson % nm 70 m M and Ss rnoe
other party desire 20 enjoy afternoons aport
skases the same plan Of sssccaed action
In june skating 10 Decsbsr, must 90 under tho
sadsrshp q president 70 ooadue. the tan and score
larry 70 record the proceedings for the edaoatioa Of
! The furor skating which tho opening Of the Park
ponds inauguvAted three years siuoe,
NOT At all diminished; on the contrary would seem 70
BE- on the ocrease uds!ng rom tse excus've prepass
demand this for facilities for fuu enjoyment OF
3: IL n =: .:s . r. 70
trust themselves on the slppery surfaces OF cur teie
action il an eminent degree There s scarcely skating
pond within . radius Of dozen mos OF the city which
mas not fallen into sns nsoos o. sS q some
and under strict rules OF management - ~ theatre
o. ball room the advantages OF good osdsr daoonum
and hence tho popularity Of these oo biuatoos
Like other organisations for amusement these sssoc'a
iious their programmes with Ostentatious
desire cultivate popuar patronage - tha managers OF
theatres opera companies, and % long ssaa asso
to IN extent sufficient 70 lead its abandonment,
BY those whose - OF iv chief attractions
iu order to prevent suoh abuse, skating associations
should exclude all esrasos that VIII have any tendency
to diminish the responsibility OF the recreation
SKATING AND DANCING CONF AIRED.
SKATING and ing the only two forms Of
tive exercise within the resch 0t tho genteg the
former being nnotely hesithful than the latter
bracing atmosphere, incident 10 sEstng, quckens the
circulation and introduces The pure oxygen o. nature into
whore atmosphere redoent OF bonc acid frivo
lous title tat,ls. De cologne nspid small talk
cutaneous exhaiAtious and simpeYing stupidiy. Tho
contrast too, the social surroundings OF the
skating pond and the bali equally In favor OF
he outdoor ocreation. The itse.f suggests that
human atonns, under henduancs OF bow state Of the
thermometos should COMO together like hs aqueous par
t,cles and ancalgamate.
re L0vK-xAKIN0 ON IcH.
But thero 10 one circumstance W Ach tends TO give
skating tho precedence any othsr amusement, and
that tho privilege gentleman oneys OF impartine
structon tho Art 70 hs ar oompAniou. To
just Ia tna critical moment bot wsen her departure from
perpoudcular and her assumrion the horizon al
ID enjay . combination s duty nd pleasure often
within reach, relation ig oalcuiated 10
tender attachments than tnlt Of pupil and tutor
under such Ii fact, the
brings 10 shs cheeks ana mpara buoysucy tho
spra but wsaSes ness " catch Cupid and makes Cages
70 retain him.
SANITARY Adv aNTAGEs or TIN sPoRH
The sanAsy bepeats accruing from skating grcat
and especially tho exercise advantageous females.
Tho prom1sns Of the delicate aud scky constitu
OF Tie majority city ladies arises from their
great neglect Of eutdcer exercise and recreation. Two
thirds Of their lives In tho artificial and poison
atuApsphsres ther poorly vent
lated apartments The result that praSonton the
exhantion carbon and Inhalation OF oxy which
OF sach vital uposanoe the health Of every humar
being The requisite action of the lunga tho expustor
OF the death dealing OF the thl
Il operations et the syssem and the reception OF u'
+ lite giving prOpsrtiea oe the atmosphere novel
better promoted than whilc indulaing tho vgor
oas exercise Of skating u 10 very necessary, how