The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1870-10-07
From ths Boston Journal
TIE PHYSICAL EGUC1TI0N OF GIRLS.
BY A. G. W.

The prevailing inyalidism of Ameri-
can women, which gives rise to so
many evils in our domestic life, will
be no matter Of surprise, if we consider
the training which the greater num-
Der of our girls receive. We allow
them to acquire passable knowledge
of the elementary studies taught IN
schools, take care to add TO these
few graceful accomplishments for
drawing room display, and, III possible,
some taste in dress and adornment,
and then regard their education as
complete, and entertain no suspicion
that one IMPORTANT part of their nature
has been entirely neglected. But IN
all that we have done there has not
been the slightest provision for
STRENGTHENING and developing their
physical powers. Ipstead of teach
ing them the supreme importance of
health and the precautions which are
needed to preserve it, the aim of So
ciety seems to be to force them to dis
regard its requirements, to destroy at
the start all taste for inYigorating
sports, and to doom them to begin In
their iDfantine years that round of.
senseless gsyeties which robs them of
DSlOIG iuOJ hafO OAOA
known its simple delights.
We lament the weakness and suf-
fering Of the women of our own time,
but what must be the future of these
| bright eyed, delicate little creatures
now growing up around Us, whose
pale faces and subdued manner tell of
more evening excitement, mental
stimulus and social restraint than any
generation before them ever knew?
/ Their diet, their dress, their amuse-
ment seem intended to weaken ard
destroy; and if American mothers
were bent upon the slaughter of their
own innocents they could not devise
a more effective manner for its ae-
eomplIshment. Boys aud girls suffer
alike 10 their early years from these
pernicious practices.
Weare told that children were once
fed on plain, nutricious food, were
given a bowl of bread and milk for
sumner. ard put to bed when it was
dark under the table. But at the
board of their elders they now expect
TO be served with all DETERMINATIONS
in the way of edibles, which we have
invented for our own poisoning
Warm miuce pies, nuts and raIslns
: afford them pleasure at dessert, and
! hot salaratus biscuit and plum cake
suffice for their supper. When the
little dears are taken unaWares with
: collie, we resign ourselves and call i
a mysterious dispensation of Provi
= dence; when their faces grow THU
and their eyes salloW and bloodshOt
! we call the climate hard names, o.
: have suspicious that they are falling
martyrs to spelling lessons and tn
d, multiplication table. Our heart
a ache at the sight, and we are move'
to bestow upon them papers OF pols
]. oned candy and liberal supplies o
bonbons. Since We cannot be crue
3 enough to limit them to the oat mea
:, puddings, the milk porridge an
9 plain fare on which English an
Scotch children subsist, we pander t
! their appetites and bequeath to then
r in consequence. Indigestion, nervous
q ness, and all that inheritance of wo
= which comes from an abused stomach
To this poisoning of bad food W
!. add the pernicious diversions of Iat
!. evening parties. Children who are S
z uofortnnate as to be born in cite
e must necessarily be deprived of mue
9 of the healthful amusement by Whic
country boys and girls develope the
|. little frames. They can have no broa
y fields to run and shout.over, no brook
) for trouting, no woods for nuttln!
: and only when peculiarly favort
q with the vicinage OF back alleys aI
waste yards can they indulge in ma