Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-01-09
GENTLE GYMNAsTs.
View of the Only Ladies' Gymnn-
sium in this C-Ountry-Where
Back Bay Beauties Climb Poles
and Turn SOmersaults.

constant operation, is a fact that
not generally known. The Bosto
gymnasium has had a short but IN
usually successful course under tn
direction OF Miss Mary E. Allen. Th
hall contains every appliance for gym
nastic work, and in the side room
there are ample numbers of bath an,
dressing rooms.
The physical development that ha
followed a few months practice in tn,
gymnasium has, in every instance
been marked. One lady, when sh,
entered, could expand the chest onl!
TO S15 inches; at the end of sil
months, inflated, it measured 3;
inches. At first the limit of hel
power of contraction of the chest wa,
BOT inohes; but. in the same time i
became 20 inches, a gain in six month
OF 25 inches in the hexibility of tht
chest muscles. One little girl, abouI
eight or ten years of age, when she on.
tered was in a wretched condition, but
at the end of two or three months hac
gained sixteen pounds in weight, anG
was stronger and brighter in every
way. The gymnasium closed at that
time for the summer, but she
CONTINUED TO GAIN IN HEALTH AMI
SPIRITS
from the impetus Of her few month:
Of practice. One lady gained, during
the gymnasium season of six months,
one-eighth OF an inch in the upper
arm measurement, and three eighths
in the fore arm.
Gases gre numerous" said Miss
Allen, ''of slight curvatures of the
spine that have been benefited in
every instance, and usually entirely
corrected. One shoulder or one hip
is often so much higher than the other
that the two sides Of the dress must
be cut differently; but this. which is
really a slight curvature, a few
months gymnastics will remedy. 1t
is often caused by playing croquet or
tennis entirely with one hand, and |
had one case of a lady with a slight
curvature resulting from always carry
ing her train with the same hand"
A visit to the gymnasium showed
it's pupils to range all the way from
FIVE years to forty and to be drawn from
all classes of society, but mainly from
the wealthiest and most cultured. The
gymnastic costume of blouse and
Turkish trousers, with low heeled,
elastic sOled shoes, seemed in itself to
be a source of great enjoyment to the
gymnasts, and it was almost pathetic
to see the pleasure they derived from
the unrestrained use Of limb and
body; they disdained the common
method Of locOmotion, and ran,
skipped, jumped wherever they wished
to 60, appearing to take a wondering
pleasure in the mere exercise Of mus
Gle, as if they had not known what
they could do. Said one young miss
to a friend who had come in to look
on: you don't know how good it
seems to get into this costume" An
eminent physician, speaking on this
subject, said that IF the ladies did
nothing else it would be Of great ben
eft to them just to run about awhile
in these clothes"
The youngest class. composed Of.
both boys and girls of from five to ten
or twelve years old, furnished an anus
ing illustration of the different way 10
which the sexes run. As they run,
both dressed alike, at full speed about
the room,
IT WAS EASY TO DISTINGUISH THE
SEX
Of each by the different motion Of the
body. In the matter of running the
advanced classes showed what can be
done by pratice. The beginners in
this exercise ran with a heavy, ungace-
full step and an awkward motion while
those who had been under instruction
for a longer time ran witt an ease and
grace of motion and a lightness aud
elasticity of step that could not have
been excelled in waltz or schottishe.
While a score of girls under Miss
Aliens direction were exercising with
pulley weights a number, aided by a
subordinate, were vaulting, one was
in the rowing apparatus pulling away
with as much est as il she we're gliding
swiftly down stream, another was
climbing the shining pole, two we're
practicing all sorts Of contortions on
the parallel bars, n was making her
way along the flying rings with the pc
culiar, graceful, swinging motion
which this exercise gives, and on a mat
at one side ofthe room two merry girls,
whose bright g%lances have been great
ly coveted in the assemblages Of the
elite Of the Back Bay, were-turning
somersaults, interspersing their exer-
else with such merry peals of laughter
as showed their enjoyment of it was
of no small degree. Two others,
marching about the room with bean
bags piled high on their heads, we're
acquiring s%traightness of spinal col
umI and elegance Of carriage in their
efforts to elude each others attempts
to dash said bean bags to the floor.
AT signal from the piano they were
ranged in position, with dumb. bells
and. after going through the variou.
exercises with these. and marchini
and running about the room, at the
signal Rest they disported them
selves in picturesque and
GRACEFUL, THOUGH UNCoNvENTloN.
AL, ATTITUDES
on the Aoormats about the room. Ii
speaking OF the lack of muscle amonj
the women and girls when they frs.
enter the gymnasium, Miss Allen,
slender, petite lady, who is herself al
example Of the benefits of gymnasium
training, said: When they first com,
in they have no muscle at all; the,
can not lift their weight on the paral
lei bars, and they can not vault wit
the pole as high as the knees OF an ay
eraee sized woman. After a wear n