The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-09-06
THE GRACE OF WOMAN.
COUNTESS NoRRAIKOw DISCUSSES
PRACTICAL PHYSICAL CULTURE.
The Danger of Overstraining Both
Nerve and MuscIe-open Air Exer-
else Versus Gymnasium TRIMMING
Too Little Attention Paid 10 Food
Fat Producers.

Oh the century marx a radical departure
in womans status in every department
OF life. she is gradually assuming nor
NAL relations with man-joining in his
sports. entering into his business en-
terprises, and in almost everything dis
playing unprecedented mental activity.
The Roman matrons of old, in con-
formity with their own training. taught
their children to be stoics in the matter
OF physical endurance. Not content with
/ stoicism, however, athletics were intro
/ duced TO round out the body 10 a great
er degree of perfection. Who has not
heard Of those wonderful Roman gladi-
ators who were famous for their prowess
in all manly sports?
The ancient Greeks and Romans were
noted for the symmetrical outlines of
their forms. While the development of
the male members in this important par
ticular was religiously attended to the
females of the family were not neg
lected. The sculptured marble repre-
senting the Venus de Milo presents over
whelming evidence of this fact. Ac-
cording TO the standards Of artistic
measurement every line and curve was
absolutely correct. The poise of the
head denoted both strength and beauty,
but the waist judged by the fashion of
the present day, would of course be con-
sidered ridiculously large.
The figure of the Greek woman was
allowed to retain its suppleness uncon-
fined by band or corset. To this fact
may be attributed much Of it's beauty.
AT that remote period gymnasiums were
not erected for the use Of men alone;
the women of the time were cared for
in the same way. The difference be-
tween the sexes lay in the TACT that
the men made public their wonderful
strength-superindUc by athletic train
| ing-while the gentler sex confined itself
| either to private gymnasiums or to the
| pursuance Of the exercise in the quiet
and seclusion of their homes. This state
Of things continued for many centuries,
and the results of the practice are per-
ceptible even to the present day in the
| descendants of those historic races. 1t
| is undeniable that the Greek women,
! especially renowned for beauty Of face
! and form, owe much of their gifts 10
the physical training which their ances-
| tors received.
Time passed, and innovations began to
creep in, and while men to a great ex-
| tent kept up the practice il fell into
disuSe among women. The history Of
medieval times tells us that womans
sole duty was to make herself as beauti-
| full as possible and to be thoroughly
trained In all the arts involving the use
Of the needle. Athletic exercises were
| entirely relegated to men, il being con-
| sidered inelegant and even vulgar for
| ladies to employ their time in such
| base" masculine manner. The man
nish" woman-the one who would row
| = gsiN hsaV-c toll ,uvF In.
boxing tournament with her brother
was looked upon as an abnormal crea-
| ture worthy only to be Stunned.
In speaking thus of that past era
refer particularly to the higher side Of
social life, for among the peasantry in
many of the continental countries wom-
an has performed more than her share
| Of manual labor, which may indeed
be classed as a form Of athletic exer-
| else.
A couple Of centuries or so ago, when
| the pilgrim mothers landed on these
shores, notwithstanding the fact that
they had left comfortable and even lux
| urious homes, they willingly shared in
the labors Of their husbands. Many
milk white hand. which had never
! known aught but idleness. was turned
| TO such good account that the struggle
| for existence in the virgin land was
| greatly reduced. AS a result Of their
| self denial, perseverance and the rugged
| health which outdoor labor engendered,
a sturdy ace Of native born Americans
was given to the world.
| Among savage tribes IL has always
been customary to train their women
| to take active part even in warfare. In
| the newspapers of today we frequently
see accounts CT the amaZons OF Zulu
| land and other African countries. These
women, whom the necessities of the
time force into the field OF battle, and
who from their childhood undergo
| thorough training for the purpose, are
| said to fight with greater desperation
| than husband, father, brother or lover
! They are more agile than men. and
| consequently quicker in their move
ments. T1ey are also more fearless. less
calculating as to results and of equal
| physical endurance.
| The courses of training which are pur-
| sued in the gymnasiums of modern
| civilization are TO certain extent bene-
fetal to young women. but a greater
! danger lies in their liability to overstrain
| both nerve and muscle. The same form
| of gymnastic exercise is not suitable
| for all persons nor for both sexes, but
| should be regulated according TO the
| physical status of the applicant For
| instance. take a growing girl who has
| sedulously devoted her time to study.
| Through STOPPING the chest has prob
| ably become weakened and the shoulders
| in measure rounded. What. then, can
| bc iioiG ptiilclpuS OF nuIAIul lndn the
attempt suddenly TO draw the latter
| into a normal position? If this is I'M
! dertaken at all, it should be done grad
| ually and judiciously.
Judging from the large number Of
athletes among men who meet with an
| early death, it is evident that the vital
| forces of masculinity through an excess
/ of athletics may be expended within a
| very brief period. a similar rule an
| plies to women, but practically to them
the consequences need not always be so
! disastrous. They seldom indulge the
| sport with the same violence and are
therefore not placed under the same
| CONTIGUOUS strain.
Open air exercise is profitable to both
sexes alike, and women, by taking a
brisk walk during the cooler hours of
| the day, with the shoulders thrown back
| the abdomen drawn in and the chest
| expanded, will find il easy TO engender
i a rugged and healthy constitution To
| obtain the full and proper benefit from
| this exercise care should be taken that
| the clothing is not too tight nor the
| shoes too small. The walk at first
| should be only for a short distance, be-
| ing gradually heightened until the maid
| or matron is enabled TO cover several
miles of ground without fatigue.
English women have thoroughly un-
! derstood and pursued this method of
exercising for many decades. Hence,
/ while their figures may be slender, their
| coloring and physical condition are of
] the best. Thousands of American girls
are now learning and practicing this
secret of beauty with the most salts
/ factory results.