The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-10-18
GYMNAsIUMs FOR WOMEN.
Physical Exercise Part of the Course
In Most Colleges for Girls.
New York Sun.

ANCN lOih oul..
There isn't any doubt about the changed
ideal for woman extending her physical con-
ditions. The best possible results have al
ready been brought about in the supremacy
or what Is affectionately called the bicycle
girl. the gymnasium girl, and the out-of-
doors girl. Physically the ideals are all
healthy and wholesome female creatures.
Calves corsets as we'll as her combs are
copied. Emma Eames-Story's splendid and
generous Greek lines of cnest and waist,
and Mrs. Langtry's and Mrs. kendalrs ex-
less robust women. People also 90 back to
the Greeks for models. To-day at Newport
many rich women have magnihcently APP
pointed gymnasiums, where. in the most
fashioned dresses, that Diana in
her woodland robes might envy, they jump
and dance and punch the bag and do all
sorts of gymnastic work with jealous and
indefatigaole spirit. In; every city OF conse-
quence there are gymnasiums for women as
we'll as men, where for $40 a season Tin
~classes) they are trained under educated and
highly qualified teachers and hygienic con-
ditions. Scientific systems that long ago
passed the experimental stage are offered
to those requiring exercise as a remedial
measure. there are also private schools FOR
school for general instruction omits this
from its course, and but few colleges re-
main without a well-equipped gymnasium.
By the spring, after entrance at Welles-
ley. there are not many angular. round
shouldered, sallow, or narrow-chested
young women. The Wellesley girls have de-
4CoL(4 % Il klC4i ia Liz I'M Sca1A - al
matched contests. They vie With Canada
In lacrosse. and weary their caddies On the
golf field. The class crews. a distinctive fea-
ture of Wellesley's. athletic life, receive
careful and scientific training In the gymna-
stun before they go upon the lake, and
every few weeks they are subjected to a
physical examination, to prove whether or
Opportunity is given for the physical train
ing Of every STUDENT tx she desires 1t. in
the gymnasium and out OF II. The out-of-
fInnra hIQ ntrn nuarIn0 afnr4n
two and three acres near the lake side, af-
ford a running track and a field for almost
any athletic purpose. Near by the class
golf links attract he more adventurous
maiden. A recent presidents report shows
by means of diagrams that six months
means the mean girth OF chests OF members
of the crews had increased one and one
half inches. and the mean lung capacity
had increased twenty cubic inches; while
the students who had received no training
had made no increase of girth of chest and
actually had lost In lung capacity. The in
tellectual standard at Wellesley has adj
vanced as rapidly and coincidentaIly with
From 4 until 6 o'clock of all pleasant DAYS
at Bryn Mawr College for women twenty
anne of tennis may DE seen In progress
of the gymnasium, a basket ball team is
hard at work practicing for the class
games, AT Nassar active gymnasium work
in the beautiful Alumnae Gymnasium forms
a regular part Of the students duties and
credit in her course Is given for that work.
Two directors are in charge OF the we'll
equipped building, and In addition TO this
a lake on the grounds furnishes opportunity
for skating and rowing and various golf.
tennis, basket ball and other outdoor sports
are kept up by the class clubs.
Smith College affords less opportunity for
the development of out-of-doors sport from
her situation in the center of the city. Her
campus is too small for the outdoor run
ming track and athletic field which she
needs, and her treasury is not yet full
enough 10 purchase them. Notwithstanding
the athletic department in indoors gym
nastic work has developed wonderfully in
the last three years. Regular class drill in
dumb bells. wands and Indian clubs. In
the first and second years the work Is re-
CURED, but Is then made elective for the
junior and senior classes. During the spring
term drill Is elective for all In order that
greater opportunity may be given for ex-
ercise out OF doors. Every Saturday after
noon during this term a walking club. with
over one hundred members In the triggest
of becoming costumes. starts out for a
twelve TO fifteen-miles walk through the
picturesque country around Northampton
Try TO imagine what that means, We mascu-
line lackadaisieS with pointed shoesi
And away in the extreme South land,
where young women presumably are too in
dolent TO exercise. they have at the New
combe College. In New Orleans. a finely
equipped gymnasium and a director in
charge-Miss Clara c. Baer-wno has cre-
aIed the greatest enthusiasm for this feat
basket ball. the Newcombe." that was
originated az this college last year, is now
very generally used In the North.
Barnard College has had too much 70