The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-11-05
PHYSICAL CULTURE.
What Ii Has Done and VIII Do for
Women Who Can Afford IL.

What Ii Has Done and VIII Do for
Women Who Can Afford IL.
Albany Argus.
In 1889 the first meeting was held in the
Madison Avenue Reform Church. The lead
ers devoted themselves &c bringing about a
few Changes in the ordinary dress OF their
kind. The corset was attacked severely
and discarded by'many. One OF the lectur-
ers brought here by the society In its cam
paign OF education took up the cause OF the
divided skirts instead OF the heavy and
impeding underskirt commonly worn, and a
large percentage Of the ladies OF the club
and some outsiders wear the divided
boomer garment. After the dress reform
movement was we'll under way the question
OF physical culture was taken up. The as
ISOLATION never mixed in too much OF the
psyche side of physical culture They were
physique in that way, but when IL came 10
their mind and soul they desired other IN
structorS
The society therefore, has not meddled
with souls particularly. their time being de-
voted to striving to reach the Venus proper
tons pointed out as their Mecca These
proportions are about as follows: The
height should be about five feet and five or
six inches; weight $50 TO 100 pounds; waist
tweEty-seven To thirty inches; bust, thirty
seven to forty inches; hips, forty TO forty
three inches; neck. twice much the
wrist, the waist twice as much as the neck.
the calf of the leg four inches more than the
arm Just below the shoulder. and the foot
three inches more in length than the hand.
the first, 1t is stated with both feet firm
on the floor in the correct position, only
with arms outstretched straight from the
She ulder. Then, without stirring the feet
and with the arms still rigid, the body is
bent at the waist to the right as far pos
sihle. and then back to the upright position
again and over TO the left.
This calls into play the muscles OF the
waist and sides, weakened from long con-
nhenent In corsets, and was given early 10
strengthen the waists of the ladies who had
been persuaded TO cast aside their corsets,
and teaches the muscles TO properly sup
sisted.
They were taught, also. how to stand prop
erly and TO walk and sit gracefully as well
as correctly. The pose calls for the head
to be erect, the hips thrown a little back
ward, the chest forward, the shoulder
blades nearly touching, and the weight OF
the body thrown well forward the balls
OF the feet. In such pose near the wall
of a room the back of the head and the hips
would touch. but not the shoulders.
The correct walk is said by the teacher to
be the hardest to learn. II calls for leg
and equality in the length of the steps. The
weight is still on the ball of the foot first.
exercises include the proper method OF
weighing the third joint of the fingers and
toes; the proper motions of the foot the
ankle knee, hip, shoulders. neck, elbows.
wrist. In fact every joint and muscle I'm
the body must be developed and cultured.
Then there is the devitalizing exercise.
Beginning with the joints of the fingers.
and running through the whole frame,
tbe bcy ana an, VIII Power is withdrawn until
Thus alone is proper rest obtainable in
physical culture.
The whole idea is this: The body is the
instrument Of the soul, and there cannot
be proper expression in thought and feel
ing unless the body is taught 10 obey the
dictates of the mind. Any emotion Of the
soul or mind calls forth movement and ex-
preston not alone in the face and eyes,
but in the arms, legs and whole body And
of course there is a reflex action from the
body to the soul and mind. PHYSICAL
culture has, ripened and developed the forms
of those who could afford the lessons.