The record-union., 1897-01-20
The YOUNG WOMEN OF TO-DAY,
Something About Their Condition and
Their Needs.
A Paper Read at the Annual Meeting
of the Y. w. c. A. by Hiss
CronemilIer.

AT the recent annual meeting of the
Young Women's Christian Association
the following paper on The Needs of
Young Women of To-day was read by
Miss NJ. NJ. Cronemiller:
The condition of women to-day is bet
ter in every way than the past, said the
speaker. Her surroundings are more
congenial; her education more thor
ough, and her spiritual development
broader-and yet with all the adVan-
tages granted her in what has been call
ed the age of women, there exists
most deplorable state of affairs among
a large number of her sex.
We would like to consider briefly the
fourfold nature of wOman-physical,
intellectual, social and spiritual. 1
name the physical first not because it
Is of more Importance than either of the
Others, but because both young men and
women are needed with strong bodies to
enjoy and benefit by intellectual pur-
suits, to appear at their best socially or
to work for the uplifting of humanity
and advance the kingdom of our Lord.
The body must be kept in the best pos
sible condition in order to serve the
soul
Strong intellects demand strong
bodies. Nearly all of our great men of
the present age devote some time daily
to systematic exercise. Gladstone, the
great statesman, is noted for walking
and as d great swimmer and rider.
Anatomists state that within the last
century the pelvis of women has under
gone a decided change. Some one has
hmm, -af Laf+ I'd
great compliment by allowing her to
choose her own wardrobe-but she has
made sad failure of it. But the New
Woman" movement has done untold
good in this one particular if in no
other. Women dress much more sensi-
bly, and hygeinioally the past five years
than ever before, and it needs only a
few leaders of fashion to improve on the
present dress reforms, to make a still
greater change.
The medical journals of the past few
months are loudly deplOring the physi-
cal condition of young girls from Il to
16 years of age, and the blame is laid
largely upon the ignorance of the moth
ers. But it is conceded fact that dis
eases peculiar to women are on the in
crease TO an alarming degree, especially
among the young women just reaching
Womanhood. 1t is traceable to ignorance
of the laws of physiology and hygiene
and the repeated breaking of the same.
Consequently mothers ought to be more
intelligent regarding their own bodies
and guard their daughters where they
have made failures.
The girl of the period Is fast becoming g
a sensible, rationable being, and the
girls of to-day will make the mothers
of the next generation
She ought to live in a sound body
and she may, for even inherited tenden-
cies may be overcome by proper care in
conserving the strength. Late hours
are not conducive to either health or
beauty.
The nervous strain to which school
examination subject our girls is detri-
mental TO their health and often the
peace of the household. The girl who
from false pride prefers to stand behind
a counter on a mere pittance rather
than do housework, have a comfortable
room, her board and enough to clOthe
herself comfortably and find time to
read. shows weakness of character.
Some girls can scarcely live on the
SEAicli4 " dSCS pdII anu must SDHIi1 many
hours that ought to be used in sleep in
repairing or renewing her own ward
robe that she may appear as we'll as her
more favored shopmate who works in
a store just to have more money TO
spend on herself Is it any wonder
poor, tired humanity becomes discour-
aged and in a moment of weakness
yields to temptations.
Some theorists claim (and this is one
of the latest fads in medical science)
that the seat of all disease and conse-
quent suffering and pain are not the re-
suit OF disOrdeTed functions of the diff
ferent organs of the body, but are rather
the reflex result of some disarrangement
of the articulation of joints, of a muscle
or nerve dislocated or put out of its
natural place, or a distortion of an ar
terry from its regular course. etc, and
suggest that there is no longer any need
of medicine but that by certain mystic
manipulations known only to the ini-
tiated, all disease may be cured How
ever much Of a fancy or realism there
is in this remains for the future to dis
close.
But we are all agreed that pain IS
but symptom Of disease that may b.
located remotely from the seat of pain
!. e. hip joint disease pain is first felt
in the knees. Everyone knows that al
arm tied to the side will soon become
helpless from disuse and lose it's mus
cular firmness. SO with every set OF
muscles in the human anatomy. While
on the other hand, over exercise ol
abuse viii cause a loss in functional ac-
tivity of the same. Stagnation il
death. activity life and health. YET
moderation in all things should be the
daily motto. A woman's health should
be her first consideration. Education
social position and in fact everything
else should be secondary to this one
grand end not be achieved in a day