River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1877-02-01
To DANCE OR NOT TO DANCE
WHICH

Anything that has received imme-
mortal Endorsement bears on its face
some evidence OF merit. To decry
custom which the usage of good soci-
ETY. has popularized and which in
some form is even coeval with society
itself is no pleasant task for journal
list or philanthropist, unless he be one
who would depart from the estab-
lished, altogether, and prune away
the identity of our social fabric. No
custom of longer standing than dancing
can be named; but this is no reason
why it should go on existing forever.
No more does it show that, like dead
branch that binders or stints the
trees life, it should be Topped off
Summarily.
There are some fields where the
presence of the extremist is unseemly,
where his toll in vigorously roofing
around in the soil is only productive
of different variety of weeds from
those already Astounding.
The world would probably be no bet
ter, were dancing abolished, and might
be worse; yet there are men who ar
que for the adjustment of this pas
time. as if their lives depended upon
it. This is hardly more admirable
than that abjeet slavery to dancing
which certain society butterflies be-
tray.
4 western church school for girls
advertises one feature of the instruc-
ton there given, thus: '.P. Sanderson,
Chicago, Teacher of dancing and
grace.
Who will say the graduate of that
institution 10 any the worse or less
| ladylike for what she knows about
grace, and who shall say that her air,
manner and general society deport-
ment have not been improved by the
daDcing-master' art. But, you say,
this is not all of young lady's educa-
ton. BY no means. 1t is only one of
the lesser accomplishments and is the
product of leisure moments that else
had been passed in dreaming.
While nothing is truer than that ga
thing of beauty is joy forever, " how
often do we see that sbudued and
polite ways transcend prettiness or
even real beauty of face.
This much is true, if dancing do
not soften the manners of society,
encourage dignity, and assist in the
attainment of that good breeding
which marks the true lady and gentle
man, it will do harm, and exactly what
effect it is to have depends entirely
upon the community where it is prac-
ticed. 1t may, under certain restric-
tions, enhance the modesty and fresh
ness, and strengthen the purity of
young girls, and even make young
men less of earth earthly; or it may
when allowed to descend into mere
pulling and hauling, be productive of
results far different.
Chesterfeld's theory of ballroom
would have been, place where cold
ness, perfect dignity and propriety
reign, and where to overstep the
special etiquette provided is to court
social death. 1t seems, in our judg-
ment, that rule hardly less rigid
should be adopted and religiously OBJ
served wherever dancing is permitted
Dancing should be something more
than pretext for grasping hands and
encircling waists. 1t should be an
art studied to some extent for its own
sake; but to greater extent, as an
aid in the acquisition of more elegant
manners.
Let those who would denounce dane
ing be sure they know the nature of
the society they are in, and that they
do not arraign a class of people that
possess a greater strength of charac-
ter than they know anything about.
You cannot measure every kind Of
people by the same rule.
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