Daily Republican., 1879-10-07
Crooked Girls.

For the Republican.
MEssRs. EDrToRs:-Not crooked in
disposition, few Of that kind might
be found, but as they do not come un-
der our notice it would not be proper to
speak of them. The special crooked
ness, to which We call attention, is that
bend Of the shoulder so noticeable in SO
many Of our girls, which is ungraoeful
in all, and in some amounts to absolute
deformity. Returning to the city after
prolonged absence noticed groups
Of female figures with spectacles on
nose and bent forms, vita books and
papers in their hands having the ap-
pearance Of elderly ladies returning
from a missionary meeting and could
scarcely realize that they we're school
girls. Why ia this (? the constant read
Ing, the piano stool, the sewing ma.
chine, the rocking chair with It's curved
back, and worse than all the school
bench as at present constructed, are
accountable for much Of this injury to
the human figure.
Can = growing girl bend ior nearly
six hours over a desk ard avoid being
crooksd-backed, a strong will and a just
pride in their personal appearance may
save them to s.,ne extent, but they
should BE- aided. A school desk is un-
usually low with slight slope, the
book laid upon II faces the ceiling,
Therefore, the scuolar is obliged to bend
Or ,.mpt4d tu do so, unless the book is
held up which is not to be expected
Could anything be much better con-
trived to distort the youthful figure.
II the desks were raised or the book
supported on rack so as to bring
the page opposite the eye, and arms
screwed to the benches so as to relieve
the spine from part of the weight OF the
head and shoulders, in few years we
would see different set OF figures.
A manager of a great manufacturing
establishment said not long ago, the
American people demand beauty Of
form in their household articles. Should
not the tairest ornaments of their
houses retain the beauty of form with
which they were endowed by nature.
There is scarcely word in the Ian
guage, that girls use more than looks,
but it seems to be always employed IN
respect to the dress and never to the
form. As they pass along in front OF
tn. stores the windows Of which act as
a mirror, and cast side glance to see
how they look. 1t is always the bon
net that is adjusted, the folds Of the
dress arranged more gracefully, but
never any Strengthening of their own
figure thing of far more consequence,
for no eloquencs of dress will atone for
a slovenly carriage Of the body.
The boys pay little attention to this
matter but their sports and games
avert the evil consequences. When girls
leave the school room, they walk slow
ly along hugging their books and talk
ing eagerly but with their shoulders
bent as If they were still over their
desks. If they knew how badly it
looks to stop they would not do it, ma,
ny of them are of short stature and
can Ill auUTu W AOso o PVAsAoA W
height, few years later they will 60
tottering along on high heeled shoes
trying to gain in apparent height what
they have lost in real.
One would suppose that their natural
pride weuld prevent their assuming
this ungraceful attitude, perhaps IT
awakens too late. In the meantime II
parents would give little more at
tention to it, they would be amply re-
paid in the improved appearance OF
their children. Among the numerous
directions given ] have yet to hear this:
"do not stoop so daughter"
1t is not meant that girls should hold
themselves stiffly erect, but they ought
to maintain the natural upright posi-
tion of the human form.
The writer hopes he has given offence
to none, but that attention may b. di-
rected to a great and growing evil in
this md other cities. Is. U.
Grant In xhe YOsmlte.