Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-02-23
ABOUT WOMANLY GRACE.


Objections TO the Suggestions for Improve.
ment Made by Writer In Last SUM
days Dispntch--The Valus Of JadicIOuS
Physical Exercise.
To the Editor Of The Dispatch:
In your issue of last Sunday there sp-
peared profusely captioned article con-
tanning much vague speculation and many
glittering generalities, but the sparest
sprinkling of available wisdom, designed,
seemingly, to give lift, as it were, to suf-
fering woman pitiedly hinching in her
sedulous endeavor to pose and carry herself
with dignity and grace. We will not dis
course with the writer, who signs herself
"S., i" whether the Informed frame and
careless posture and motions of being are to
be imputed to the lack of inspiration" of
the Creator who, according to the philosophy
OF IS, Sin rare moments of inspiration"
distributes His ''enviable gift of grace" or
to the effects of an ill-directed education,
personal negligence and predisposition.
But we feel constrained to remark that for
those unfortunates in whom a neglected
posture and awkwardness OF 1ocomotion are
manifest, even when no pronounced
deviation or alteration of the organic
structure exist, the suggestions of rs. " are
OF very little value, not to say misguiding.
In the upright position of the human
body the line OF gravity of the head passes
in front of the joint between the atlas verte-
bra and the head. Ii the muscles Of the
neck become relaxed the center of capital
gravity falls much further forward, pre-
cor fino fho hood NJ fhn reohtRd fho
writer, the student the weak, etc. The
common line of gravity tor the head and
trunk passes in front of tenth thoracic
vertebra and consequently falls behind the
hip joints. In the absence of counteractlon
the trunk would fall backward, but is kept
upright by means of the abdominal and
femoral muscles, aided by the ileo-femoral
ligaments. The common line of gravity
for the head, trunk and legs, from the
knees upward, passes by the anterior
side of the eleventh thoracic vertebra
and falls behind the knee joints
Were it not for the cooperation of the
muscles of the legs with those Of the alb
domen, the body would fall backward, and
when the muscles of the legs are lacking
sufficient strength We get representation of
weak and yielding knees, together with
stomach, fiat chest and gen.
cIdl ulSeIY Ot 4HC CCubCE VI
gravity for the whole body passes through
the second lumbar vertebra and falls through
the tarsus, in front of the joint between the
foot and the leg. The body is prevented
from falling forward by the arch-!ormed
of the foot and by the general
of a multitude OF muscles, pre-
dominantly those attached to the heel.
WHAT Is THE REMEDY.
As an erect and graceful posture, and
especially walking. consequently calls into
action nearly all the muscles of the body,
and as faulty posture and awkward carriage
in walking generally depends on the absence
uf healthy alaidfnIuniou cooperation of all
the muscles, that observance is oflittle value
which does not teach the repair of the whole
structure. That very brilliantresults would
be forthcoming in following the solemn sd-
wise of ''S" to set like brooding Buddhs"
and never finch "for half an nour each day,
touching neither chair, carriage or car seat
back, and sitting we'll toward the edge of the
seat with the right loot slightly in advance
Of the left, ready to rise quickly without
help from the hands at an emergency"
very seriously doubt the following formula
Tor walking, +" furnished also by IS. Fancy
a slender cord about your chest, just beneath
the arms, the ends of which an angel bears
aloft, futtering just above your head, and
walk so gently and smoothly and erectly
that the frail cord shall remain taut, vet not
be permitted to break" is perhaps pretty
enough picture to sport on lecture platform
Or ladies' meeting, but it seems to me, at
least, that teaching growing girl conscious
ness of her corporeal faculties, ambition and
self reliance would be considerably more
lsefui than emulating the motions of a man
likin or string doll.
Whatever may be said of personal beauty,
is certainly acquirable in early
raining without running by inheritance or
by endowment" Graceful
less is an idea belonging to posture and mo-
ion. In both these, to be graceful, it is
'equisite that there be no appearance of diff
iculty; there is required a small infection
# the body, and a composure OF the parts in
uch manner as not to cucumber each other,
lor to appear divided by sharp and sudden
.ngles. In this case, this sottness, this del
cacy of attitude and motion, is that in
which all the magic of grace consists, and
Ehat is called its je ne sails quoi.
PHYSICAL EXERCISE.
1t is universally acknowledged that moth |
ng tends so much to impart this graceful |
less, suppleness, vigor and health as a COM
methodical and judicious scheme |
f physical exercise. As in mental training |
t is necessary to develop the subtle faculties
f the mind so, we hold, that the body |
an never become the ready and graceful
ervant Of the will without the stamina of q |
ound physical education; and it can not be
enied that the bodily health produced by
hysical exercise must tend in large de-
rec to add to the mental energy and to de-
eIop the intellectual faculties
Whatever may be said of the Swedish
edagogical system of gymnastics its tedi-
usness, trivial dogmatic way" and mot
ringing out the muscles SO we'll as ''the
)owd gymnastics %, meanwhile accepting
he statements OF "Shirley Dare" and Du
,ois Raymond for what they are worth, we
-ould beg those who are interested in this
ubject to remember that SIT is not the
reater or lesser power OF any part that de-
srmines the strength or weakness of an in
ividual, so much as the proportion and
arnony of the several parts; that the
rganIsm can only be said to be
erfectly developed when its several parts
re in mutual harmony with each other;
nat the possible development of the human
ody must be limited by the faculties, men
Il and bodily, belonging to the individual;
nat the body, whose different parts are not
] harmony, is not in harmonious accord
18th the mind, and that perfect health and
hysical power are co-relative terms; both
re dependent on the harmony of the sew
raj parts
INCIDENTAL BENEFITS.
Beside the inestimable value of these and
milsr trivial dogmatic ways" and prin-
iples of Ling for the health that a rational
hysicsl education produces, they bring out
ANY other characteristics of infinite benefit
the country and community at large; for
lere can be no doubt that an education
,unded on such basis develops habits of
pod order, owing to the discipline and self