The Portland daily press., 1896-10-16


vice l sent copies of circulars nsed and
wrote something of what the club wom-
On in our own State had been trying to
do.
As 1t will be impossible for me to
serve the State Federation any longer l
hesitate to offer any suggestion for the
future but l hope that either with or
without committee to direct and ad-
wise, the clubs will continue to take an
interest in all educational questions Of
the day.
EDITH f. WOODMAN,
Chairman of Educational Committee.
The two trios by Mrs. White, Miss
Plummer and Miss Kice were most char
miDgly given. The educational round
ia BILE was the next section of the pro-
gramme as directed by Miss Mary S.
Snow.
Miss Snow said she was disappointed
that Miss Taylor was not here with some
of her deaf mutes to show how much
could be done for these poor unfortu-
mates who are often 40 poor that the
parents cannot give them the advantage
of this opportunity. The report of the
educational committee had told SO much
of miss Snow" that she should spare
her hearers on this subject. She was
certainly glad, however, to preside over
this educational round table. She laid
special Importance to the connection be-
tween women's clubs and the subject of
education, and said their best work was
done for the public schools and should
not stop at self-culture. The state had
sent out q magnificent cry this year
politioally-and let us do, the same for
our schools. She then gave most fitting
introduction to Miss Homans of Boston
Normal school for Physical Training,
who spoke in part as follows:
MISS HOMANS'S ADDRESS.
Vital as home, school and religious
training are, maRnitiGe as judged by
their results, still they do not as yet
reach with the full strength of even up
lift the character fabric of the oommuIii-
ty. Reasons are many and various why
this is so, but speaking simply as an OBJ
server, it seems to me it Is largely be-
| cause we do not yet olearingly apprehend
how peculiarly 1T lies in our power as
women to intelligently control the moral
forces of this our social order. By oom-
prehending something of the action OF
the laws which govern the great distinc-
tive physical forces, man has gained such
control over those forces that they work
at his bidding. IT he wishes to do a
| colossal labor these servants come crowd
| ing to his aid. Within his spiritual
nature are forces no less distinctive to his
moral welfare or eager to serve him, the
m amer of their action depending, as
with the physical forces, On how he calls
them; foripower to oontr0llphysical forces
rests with the intellect; power to control
moral forces rests with the will.
Recognizing the Significance Of the will,
this guiding power which lies at the very
centre of things, it becomes an inquiry
Of paramount Importance whether we
have any special means for reaching ur
through the physical to it with develop
ing and Strengthening aids, So that il
may support the character at its weakest
point when the stress OF life bears heavily
upon 1t. 1t is not enough that the min
has recsived exquisite culture, that the
beauty, graoes and moral excellencies oi
character have been brought to high
degree Of perfection, If there has been
failure to recognize how absolutely essen
tial Eto the integrity of the whole
ter is the cultivation of the power Of
conscious control, the man is NOT yet
master Of himself, his training will no,
4 BkhBh SEodul0pu WAOh hAc SooAAAhA AAOSA AZ
| gre atsst
1t Ia Just here that I wish to speak o.
the part that rational physical training
plays In the matter Of character build
| ing. The training of the will is thu
chief aim OF the intelligent teacher O.
PHYSICAL training, to awaken, to stimu
late and TO train conscious mastery ovel
self. That the province OF physical train.
ing means less than this to anyone, i
not TO much that the term physioa
training is inadequate in expression, hui
because we so poorly conceive what tht
true Significance Of the body IL. We're W,
accustomed to think of 1t as st. Pau
did; aa the "Temple Of God," 9TH
HOLY Temple +" THE habitation of tn
in-dwelline spirit of God," what nev
meaning would these words physioa
entire voluntary mechanism into habits
Of controlled and exact physical response
is 1T made Cossible to the in-dwell
} ing spirit to find fullest expression
There is much to do of foundation work
J the more complete the Temple" th
more perfect In its adjustment the bodil
mechanism (other things being equal
spouse to the will. Thus the essentia
foundation of the study is distinctly
scientific one. We become at ono
students of anatomy (structure) physio
loay (funotion), hygiene (healthful care)
pedagogy chow to teach these and othe
rhings) psychology in It's physical aspeo
Il. g. intimate and thorough study Q
the brain, the motor organ and the nerv
paths leading into it, out of it an
through it), psychology in It's moral an
spiritual aspects as 1t leads to study G
moral and mental development and tn
J mods of action of the will not onl
through the media of the intellect an
the emotions, but as expressed by tn
entire. bodily mechanism as we'll. Bacl
Of this We cannot go, but we can and d
extend our research, and train all alon
these lines We also demand courteou
behavior and thoughtful consideration
for others.
10 the observer this mothod thouR
resting on the deep foundations that
; have indicated, seems very simple. Gu
} very first command ga ttention, +" strike
the keynote of our work. The will
commanded at first to direct the exeou
tion of certain movements in oertai
given planes, with certain given force
In certain given rhythms, while at tn
same time 1t is required to be watchfu
that only such parts of the mechanism
used as are essential to doing the wor
In hand and the respiration be kept fu
and deep. By and by we demand of |
more diffiCult more OOmplex eve