Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-07-29
BOOMING THE WALTZ.
The immortality Of the Waltz and its De-
mOralizing Influences Exposed by One
who Makes His Living by leach
ing it-Mrs General Sher-
man Consulted.

a daneing-school at Tenth and CHEST
nut streets, Philadelphia is about to be-
gin crusade against the waltz as at
present danced, which he pronounces to
be immsdest, vulgar and generaliy de
He said yesterday: 81
have been a dancing master forthe past
ten wears, and have made it a practice
that period TO observe care
fully all the changes in the public taste,
and to note the changes for better or
worse in my profession. / have watch
cd closely and though deeply on the
subject, and now l have no hesitation
in saving that the waltz, under whatso-
ever name it may go for the time being,
is immoral. 1t is the only dance that
decent people protest against, and L am
happy to say that there still remain
numbers of careful fathers who will
not allow their daughters to dance it, al
though vast proportion OF the fashion,
able and a majority of the middle and
lower classes do not seem as yet awak-
ened to its iniquity. i have recently
been in consultation with the Key. MIR.
Wayland, Of the Baptist Church at
Broad and Arch streets, and with others
of the clergy, and they agree with me
that the dancing Of the waltz has fully
as demOralizing an effect in its way as
have alcohol and tobacco in theirs
OBJECTIONS TO THE WALTZ.
do YOU hear many objections to
waltzing nowadays"
"Oh, yes; any quantity of them, and
| think the time is right to begin q cru
Il f,,lr M fhnan
of the clergymen who will take part in
the good work will have any immediate
effect, but when the people begin to
think, which they will do when the
subject has had little agitation, they
will soon act, and the yOluptuous waltz
will gradually disappear. Ten or fifteen
years ago the waltz was not so objec-
tionable as at present. Dancers of to-
day come into altogether too close con-
tact. In the old time a gentleman
merely touched lady's hand in his
left. Now he throws his arm clean
around her form, pulls her closely to
him, as though fearful of losing her,
brings his face into actual contact with
her soft cheek, and in word, hugs her.
Such action is altogether too familiar,
but still custom and society sanction ii,
and instead of Improvement for the
better we see, year afteryear, marked
advance in the imprOprieties of the
dance. In the old days the waltz was
comparatively modest; now it is just
the reverse, and the waltz is calculated
to do more injury to the young than
many of the vices that are preached
against from the pulpit and deeply de-
plored in private life"
A GOOD SUBSTITUTES.
"But suppose you succeed in abolish
ing the waltz, Professor, where will you
find any dance to take its place."
well, when the necessity arises
new dance will be invented that will
have all the gliding grace and the
glorious eXhilaration of the waltz with
out its delirisuS vOluptuousnesS. My
own intention is to substitute the min
net de la COur," dance introduced by
Louis XIV. of France, which kept its
place in public esteem for centuries, but
has of late years gone completely out of
use. 1t was partially revived in this
city in 1876, but was allowed to drop
out of fashion again, principally for the
reason that the ladies and gentlemen
who danced it were compelled by the
dictates of fashion to dress in court cos
tune, which Is very expensive, and Is
at the same time repugnant to the
fierce republicanism of Americans. The
dance consists of marching, bowling and
turning, and develops all the graces
that the dances possess. Its great rec
Ommendation is that it is perfectly mod
est, and admits Of no hugging such as
wa soc nightly in the waltZD
"Eou speak with much force, Pro-
feSSOr, with regard to the immortality of
the waltz. Do you speak from personal
observation OF from hearsay?n
"From personal observation. / have
made it my practice for years to attend
balls ami parties in order to keep pace
in my teaching with the popular de-
mand. have no hesitation in saying
that attribute much of the vice and
immortality now prevailing to the in
sidious influence of the waltz. This
may seem an OverStraining of the point,
but it Is my honest conviction. 1 tell
you that in the higher circles, young la
dies at parties and calls are absolutely
Rugged embraced would be too weak
to express my meaning-by men who
were altogether unknown to them be-
fore the music for the waltz began to
inspire the toes Of the dancers. Is this
apleasant sight to contemplated
THE MADDENING WALTZ.
"Then, in the lower classes, the IL
cense Of the dance is much more shock
ing. have seen couples so closely in
terlOcked that the face of the man was
actually in contact with that of the pal
pitating girl in his arms. | have seen
kisses interchanged amid the whirl of
the maddening waltz.
1.-THE persons interested in this cru
SADIE intend to send circulars to the lead
ing elergymen and the heads Of the
great ecclesiastical organs and institu-
tons Of the United States, and ask
them to aid in the great work. DIR.
Wayland said he would help US in
any way he could, and promised to
write to Mrs. General Sherman, the
authoress Of book in opposition to
waltzing, asking her assistance. / also
wrote TO that lady requesting her
advice as to the conduct of crusade,
Mrs. Sherman's book takes the ground
that the waltz Is immodest; that it de-
tracts from the purity OF young ladies
who indulge In 1t; that it gives to the
young men opportunities for amiliari-
ties that should never be allowed; and
that it is, in fact, demoralizing in the
extreme. She holdsthat no young lady
should be embraced save by the man
she proposes TO marry, and that the
close contact Of the waltz Is dangerous
and injurious TO the modesty and purity
Of womankind.
THE wALTzES CLASSIFIED,
There are six dances now in vogue
that involve the hugging principle Of
the waltz. They are the plain waltz
which was introduced by the Germans
who seldom, BY the way, take part In
square daneesl; the Glide, q very fash.
lona6le and pretty dance; the Redowa
which has held It's own for many gener
I atinna ~ donnaro. the n.-srL