New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-03-27
MAKING WOMEN STRONG.
TIE BERKELEY LADIES ATHLETIC 'H' !"
WHAT IS DONE IL THE GYMNASIUM THEME
VALUABLE EXERCISE

obly lost no time In getting herself maze mem,
The clubhou-o is atiactivr IN appearance ,o lo
entrance to the tptOp Of the Dnl'd"s, ,.,.,.
gymnasium with is horizontal bars a"'"S''7 .'"e
and padded mattresses for Jumpl"s' h'' '''
ancc almost Of miniature circus , o,rr,vcd
.1uitou.r answers the bell In the fhos' "pP'V'O'
Climb style ushcring tho visitor into large uri"'"s
on, ON the LET furnished in simple bu' pie''''e
,h,o Ius, across the hall on the right vi t"c
c,,r,pce + 4 room almost as large whi'h u .'
the reading ROOM Magazines ana DooN' '',' ~.
found there and there is desk ior S''i'"' r
the most conSpicOus object Is Inc O'''''u ~ -,
M yemen NJ This club are not dc5awed from any Vi
the recreative games. even oil the So'V
uor, conservative times were reserved LOT nun o'
,, ,or, 81, fine house * used for the purposes
-. ,ht..ic overcisc Below the entrance hoor uic'0
i q bowlng alfcy and II swimming D''"' anu ,
that The Berkeley omen'sI Mh'eoc '''o mas ~"
nm ,hc fine large gymnasium in their part VI '"0
cInh binding will be appropriated al sue" "'''
desirable to the OF the women . ,4
There are sixty separate dressing ioo''' -,
,,ro eoors 100 feet In length, are ST
WV ,hoso and the lockers and bathrooms
t ,o,,or ara es,ecally fine rs they are llned win
marble and have that .pick and span cleanliness '"o"
,, which gives an air OF real luxury 10 'he oaI'
r,ore are facilities for sponge, needle ana 'uo o"'''
any one Of which may be recommended ny ~
Tho director aS a proper finish To the phyS'c"' oAo'
else OF the hour before 49,, ,h
,rho members are privileged to come to the ciuo
whenever tllcy wish, and can use any part VI wv
bu,ldnr a will: but for The benert OF real udn'"s
,s ara formed which meet twice week. lhcfc
era t,ro instructors for the exercise performed III 'e
cvmposiun Miss ID. NJ Elliott and Miss NJ. IT, r"t'er
Miss Elliott has been In charge since inc cru" VIM
ononed She is graduate OF Dr. AndeiSo" ''"Vo'
of PHYSICAL Thinning in Brooklyn. ana Dol" oo'",'0
of her unbounded enthusiasm as well as 'or hc.
knowledge and experience. she Is o"hsoeFeu ""c vi
,be best teachers In the city she Is one Vi '"e c
ycunc women Of this generation who were 'A"sh'
cvmnostcs rs children but her ather's prediction
~ favor Of athletics for girls gave her an early
taste which resulted in the actual training "hch se
took afcrward from Dr Anderson. Now Miss
Elliott not only ha, enthusiasm herself but she h'e
fine power of ni,ng II into her pupils and TINS IS d
creo aid TO good work. whether /, is IN physical train
ing or the most ab-trusc scientific Instruction
Miss Potter is graduate Of DR.. Sargcnts Normal
school al Cambridge Mass. aud Is spoken "i as IN
accomplished teacher
The Instruction In the gymnasium occupies about
one bour intervals Of a few minutes al time being
taken occasionally for rest II Tie day l. '"id, ana
the members come In with somewhat lowered tehper"
turc they are sent to the chest weights Tor eAeI''e
which will be thoroughly warming. These hc ropes
hing ON pullcys with weights. and by means OF rneS
for the hands in the ends u the ropes regular ''h
NJ exercise is gone through for given pcri-perhP'
ov. rinutes Light clubs have considerable prom.
Incnce among the gymnastics and afford means LOT
thc display Of skill. \ beginning is made with one
hand movements then different ones are cpmhihcI
until they become Intricate. While activity with 'hc
clnhs is by means TAN the hands become nun
strained from holding them. and are released at Tunes
for moment; or two while the fingers arc well shaken
The foot and hg exercises are graceful enough TO
suggest the art of dancing \ variety oil st"p' hO'
only gives added strength 10 the one Who practise, bt
pcrccptibe grace. Tho girl who has been trainlng
for certain length Of tine steps across the floor with
charm Of carriage which might not pcrhaps b" cx-
peced AS she /, ~ hcellcs. shoes aud short dF"-s
Tho teacher SAYS that these cXcrd s. not ONLY Incline
ihe step 10 elasticity but are good iJr TIE brcath ana
lungs. Not all the pupils 80 In for rnnnng, Jumping
and vautng even In the advanced classes Dut tho'e
who have been accustomed To- thee heavier exercises
from ch!Idhooi find the ercate-t cShartlon ana pleas
urc in them. such exercise, include the travelling
rinrs where the individual swings from one fng L"
another and the horizontal bar aud ladder Inc I"h
ming I, done In the larger gymnasium. gallery 81 eA
cclent size bciny arranged with padded floor 10 In
crease fncite, for this rather violent work.
An applicant for admission Ia the club must be ut
lea & sixteen years old. The arrangement OF the classes
I, not made with regard To age but rather with ref
errncc to the degree Of Advancement made IN physical
training Probably few girls enter with the desire
70 become really athletic II Is with the idea OF
developing strength. The club Is not by any means
n sanltarium and yet some women undertake" the cA
ercisc there BY the advice Of physicians r their health
There are no obligatory rules. but advice Is offered
and ,iggcst made n to the course to be tah'h
II IA nm understood thing that nObody wears corset
At te time Of exercising and everybody has suit III
the club colois blue and gold The costume consists
Of a divided skIt held in at each knee with elastic
cord In the manner Of Turkish irons The leg 10
the knee Is free Of any covering except the socnG
and the low shoe is very elastic 20 tat II Will um IN
,orfere with suppencs, of movement The divided
skirt nd blouse made Of dark blue serge and gold
Is introduced In the form Of braid the blouse front
collar and sleeves. put on IA military fashion II l.
noticeable that both the girls and women who exercise
do their hair up In Il neat trim fashion, and the usual
yanIties OF rings ard bangles omitted for the time
being at least.
The Girl in society sometimes makes this club her fad
and admit, her delight in freedom from the corset dur
ing the hour for exercise. She sometimes even goes
further and confesses to such bacgsding from fash
lOnabe cdrts ~ the omission Of the corset for AL time
excepting with the tailor made gown, IT being necessary
TO draw the line somewhere, she thinks
or course no enthusiast on the subject Of ply steal
culture sanctions the wearing Of the corset Dr. Mary
r. Blssell, the director Of the cmbA is avowedly an
enemy to H. and In her ntcst book has chapter on
the subject and ably well a. grncfily does she
state the reasons why II should not BE- worn not alone
for heaith's but for beauty sake that any sensible
minded reader will find II hard ~ withstand them.
Dr. Bissel Is u sister Of the president Of Nassar and
is herself "A graduate Of that college. she has been y
member Of the medical profession about ten years, and
Is professor Of hygiene at one Of the medical colleges
IL is usual for Dr. Bisscll to make physical examina
ton and a series OF measurements OF those members Of
the club who take up ply Sical training and by frequent
consultation she Is able know something about their
constitutions and 10 regulate the amount Of exercise
which they take. Those who interested In their
own development, and in The strength gained can fol
low t by remcasurement and reference b the charts
Three years comprise "corrsc In physical training
nj the club. DR.. Blsscll USUALLY the members in
he office before they 20 upstairs, ana urg 'nfly ad
vscs II bath and "A change o! undcrclohing before rav
ing the building she does not look upon physical train
Ing fnd accomplishment. but cnilus Tor u
dgnlied place IN educational work. Her theory IS
that anything that helps the body Is beneficial To the
mind and that IN improved physical condition