Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1885-05-29


Much has osen s4is ard written atIoa
skating Kinks, for ard sgzinst- and n
the mass some wards have been used Or
both sides which sh0ald have oeea lett
ont. There y good SIDE snd 3 oa.i
side to almost every pubic amusement
There arr some straight iSced mofaiisas
ard odd fogy doctors Who md fauis WITH
every fashion the ladies ulsy sdops, ano
look xith suspicion on most every kind
OF recreation. Ihesters, dancing Azc
many Of the stblstie sports, s1cn as
wicket. baseball. and even crOauet, re-
csive q share Of essn iemnsfloR- Hnh'h
a few years the mania fer roller sk3fln2
has broken o1s +od becoDe 80 popular
a. nearly to absStb or ruin ali DINER
pas-inss. Dancing. which has win
stood the opposition of the church, zRd
even nourIshs3 1ad-r IT'S anstneTnas,
hss almost become obsolete and forget
ten IN the passion for the skating rInE.
What Is the sAcrst of this BeV enchant-
ment? L.. any one visit 4 well regulated
rink, ss We have seen them At the east
and the question il answered. The ball
zith its immense area Of polished noor,
it, wallis decorated With flags, pictures,
stataary and other works Of art, the
rundreds Of lovely women with spark
ling eyes and flushed CHEEKS, the nestly
dressed and courteous gentlemen, the
circle of grscefnl skaters sweeping
around the ball at a rapid speed, make
up a panorama al once dazzling. exeIt-
ing and fascinating. No wonder skst-
ing Kinks are popular and patroniEed By
the purest and best in the land.
Bat what are the objections We have
alluded to? Let as examine them hon
essly. We are told they lead TO inmor-
slity by permitting familiarity OF co.,
versation upon slight acquaintance. Are
the facilities for forming improper ac
Qualntances and indulging in hirtations
| any greater IN a rink than ct q ohercn
sociable or camp meetingt Possibly,
| because no discrimination is made 10
| the admissions 90 the rink, and bad
| characters seldom 90 to church soeia-
blCs But the etiquette of the rink Is
| the most severe of all social gatherings.
| No gentleman ever speaks to a lady
| there unless introduced by a mutual
| friend; and no lady ever expects to be
spoken TO or noticed there any more
! than she would if walking in the streets
| of ths city. In fact, il is very rare for
any real lady to be insulted, or even
ANNOYED, no matter where she may be.
| And she may 20 to the rink alone and
snioy an hour of skating with the same
freedom and respect she is entitled to on
steamboat or railroad car.
| This idea, that lady must be shad
owed by an argus eyed chaperon to keep
her in the paths of rectiiude, is one in
| suiting to her character for virtue and
self control.
The next objection urged against the
| rink, and the only one worthy of con-
sioeration, is based oninjGrieus effects
| to health. But IS there anything in tbs
exercises of the rink more evil in is
| effects on health than can be found il
any other athletic amusementl Skating
IL certeinIv not as bad as dancing
| Kinks are much larger and better ven
tilated than any ballroom. The gentle
| gliding motions of the skater are far
superior to the jumpipgs of the dancer
| tie one like ride ever nicely laid
| railroad track, the otasr more like he
| ing in lumber wagon drawn over q
| corduroy road. The real danger OF
skating consists in the liability 10 excess
| for excessive physical as well as mental
exercise is always dangerous, and weak
ems instead Of invigorates. Skating
does not fulfill all the r q9iremsnts of
| physical culture. Ii does not supersede
| The use of the dumb-bells, walking and
oalisthenics generally; but it does give
strength and TIE finsh of health to thou.
| sands of young girls WHO could not be
induced to practice less exhilaratinG
/ and unpoetic gymnastics. They can
en JOY this pleasure during the day time,
| thus removing the objection of late
hours, the inevitable result of dancing
| psrties. Clearly 1t is the duty of NOR
alists as we'll as ply sioians to point out
the dangers Of every public amusement,
ard it is as clearly their duty to eBcoHr-
age what is reals good.
Amusemsnts the peopie will have,
Instead of throwing obstacles in the
| way Of rational anusement, the states
msn aud philanthrogist sh0nld enceur
1 age them, always guarding against sx
oess. Ii is not All ms ne idea 10 assert
at thousands have become insane by
q too rigid attention to business; and II
is o mistake 90 suppose only the lner.
chant or the banker need relaxation
from continued daily duties. Their
wives reed il just as much. And here
We want it oiea ly understood that
skating Kinks are not exclusively fa'
the use Of Young folks. Hundreds 1
middle-sged men and women are seen
every winter on the ponds aHd rivers OF
the East. WHY should they not be
present at the rink and enjoy themselves
with their sons and daughters?
How long this passion for skating viii
last depends very much on the manage
ment of the Kinks. 1t behooyes those
interested to adopt such rules of Ell
quette and Of exercise that there can be
no possible moral or physical objection
raised against them, and then they GER
tainiy will contribute much 10 the hap
piness and improvement Of the human
family. Com.