Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-11-05
BUILDING UP BODIES.
MISS NEWCOMB TELLS HOW THE GIRLS CAN
LOOK SWEETER AND 'GRACEFULLER."
A Dalsartsan Lecture a! Grand Army Hall Yester-
day AfernOon-A Large Number Of School
Teachers on the Scsns-0ther Prom
inent Ladies Present

Shortly after three O'CLOCK yesterday
afternoon, just as the lugubrious skies
lighted up for awhile procession OF
ladies with knitted brows and sparkling
eyes wendell their way up the long and
unattractive stairway on Main street
leading to Grand Army hall. They
were bevy of the educational maidens
who, in a measure, hold the destinies
Of the youth of the city in the palm OF
their hands.
1t was the occasion OF Delsartean
lecture by Miss L. ]. Newcomb, of
Michigan, I'D e the girls around town
don't bloom out as Dianas, Venuses
and Nlobes it won't be Miss Newcomb's
fault, as she gave very interesting and
convincing lecture, and what's more, is
going to give series OF lessons. Miss
Newcomb is connected with the Nation
al Woman's Christian Temperance
Union and is engaged in travelling about
the country eXpounding the physical
culture department. The work appears
to have been imperative with Miss
Newcomb, as she states that she left
the school room Rp almost physical
wreck after trying all the medicines
IN the market. She took UP physical
training, and Immediately began to i'm
prove until she is now in almost perfect
health. She has been engaged In the
work about ii years.
Her lecture, therefore, was especially
interesting to school teachers, and there
were large number of them present.
Other prominent lovers OF the Delsar-
team system present were DR.. Harriet
jones, who presided over the meeting,
and also Mrs. C. NJ. Afford, the we'll
known elocutionist.
Miss Newcomb is Of medium build,
fairly stout, with pleasant face and an
easy, well modulated voice. She was
arrayed in a black dress, easy and
loosely fitting, yet adapted to the form
as well, aud in this garment she had
ready scope in the caisthenics which
sh q introduced. She told her hearers
how to do all the natural movements OF
life scientifically and gracefully, from
playing on piano and pealing
a potato right down to plain,
every day walking and even breathing.
The speaker intimated that she had
seen some people breathe awkwardly.'
Very many times when people have
great muscular development they do
not have control of the same. When
you combine the vital with the moral
you get what the old Greek adage says,
a sound mind in sound body. This is
VIVA. we are all striving for. What we
should avoid, among other things, is
the angular form and the angular
movements. Look about you in nature.
Do you see anywhere the angular? All
is most beautiful adjustment OF
curves. This is Gods work. The an
gular is mans work. A truly graceful
person would attract little attention at
first. 1t 1t after you have been In
her presence awhile that you be-
gin to see the grace aud
harmony OF action and they are ever q
delight to you afterward. Some people
will walk across a room with affecta-
ton. This should not be COMPOUNDED
with grace. Health and grace are the
two great points to be acquired in phys
ical culture.
Miss Newcomb steppeped down from
the platform few moments and gave
an exhibition Of different styles Of walk
ing she has seen which created conSid-
cradle amusement. All through her
lecture Miss Newcomb well showed that
she was an exemplifcation of grace her.
self, as she was perfectly composed, and
graceful in geSticuiations. Among
other things Miss Newcomb stated that
one can learn to command sleep. We
can sleep. The inability to do so is the
first indication of the breaking up OF
the nervous system, aud through phys
zeal culture this can often be reme6ied.
Often times we do more with our brain
in proportion to what we do with our
hands, aud there comes an Overbalance.
I believe it is possible to so keep our
selves that nervous prostrations would
be unknown.
Then one of the ladies in the room
agitated the worries, and Miss Newcomb
went through number OF arm move
ments showing how the various muscles
were brought into play. She also went
through series OF other movements,
Illustrating more particularly grace. 1t
was as though she were plucking roses
from her bosom, pointing to star in
the heavens, or saying to an obnoxious
fellow, go way, chappie," and few
other movements, all with dra-
matte effect. Miss Newcomb then
swung two-pourd Indian clubs, first
singly and then together, and she did
it easily and gracefully, which is rather
remarkable, as two-pound club is fire.
Quenty about all a man wants to sling
around in the air for any length of time.
1t showed her strength and well devel
oped muscles. Miss Newcomb COM
mences her lessons this afternoon at
Grand Army Hail.