The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1897-01-03
DANCING
This Popular Amusement socIologlcally
Considered.
tcommunlcatedj

AhFAsefAANs'ah '-NNaff
In recent conservation about amuse.
ments. the general utility and propriety
of dancing was canvassed.
A lady observed that by tradition and
educatlon-bcing member Of a some
what strict denomination-she was Op-
posed u this form Of recreation; but in
the community where she was living.
there seemed TO be nothing else in a 30
clal way. and her objections were being
gradually undermined.
No doubt this Is a subject of more or
less perennial interest not only to pa
rents. teachers and guardians. but may
be- TO sociologists and s,atistlcians. The
following Is submitted from the point
OF view Of the social statisticlan. who
would segregate facts. and discover
their bearing on human welfare
In n certain small community that
has come under the observation Of the
writer the line was very strictly drawn
on the subject OF amusement. one part
being consistent dancers OF the entirely
gentecl sort: the other non-dancers Of
the sirictest sect. Vital statistics OF
each class after a period OF some years,
are as follows:
Non-dRncers, young ladies. members
considered fourteen; married. at pres
cnt fourteen; living at present time
fourteen: total number OF children. If
~; average age at marriage, &c.
II should be observed that In every
case the young ladies married we'll, men
OF influence. abundant means. strictly
moral and total abstsirers In the en-
tire flock OF their children there is not
one defective physically or deficient
mentally. or that shows signs Of moral
perverslty. II might also be added
that every one Of these young ladies
was college educated, ana at some time
taught school; quite Independent and
able to take care OF herself. At pres
ent, with but two or three exceptions.
their health is vigorous. and they are,
without exception. women OF high
standing and influence.
Vital statistics Of the young ladies'
who took their amusement In dancing.
are as follows;
Number considered, fourteen; number
married, fourteen; average age at mar
riage. 81; number now living. nine; to-
tai number OF children. twelve.
or these fourteen quite part mar
ried unfortunately-the greater number
to the drinking or sporting man, some
OF whom We're actual drunkards; and
some Of whom are no longer living.
Three Of these wives have been sep
arated from their husbands and as a
rule, the husband OF none OF them was
a man Of either means or influence; al .
though this was by no means altogether
SO.
II may be thought that the espe-
cially fortunate non-dancers and the
unfortunate dancers have
been selected; but 1t is not so. In each /
case all that could be remembered in
each set have been counted in. The
to good families were well educated,
and in no respect behind the non-danc- .
ers; yet much more than half of them
have been unhappy in their later life. /
Both sets lived in the same town. went
To the same school and churches; sang
together and went To the same socia-
bles, and were good friends; about the
only line Of division being on the sub .
ject of dancing
Certainly II would not do to draw .
a sweeping conclusion from these facts;
yet the following can hardly fail to be .
just. Those that deprived themselves .
Of whatever enjoyment there is in dane .
ing parties, and thus incurred the stig- .
ma Of prudery or old-maidishness, have I
not missed the good Of life. but during /
their maidenhood became accomplished, /
Independent and useful; and in their |
married life have been singularly fortu-
nate, They are still living intellectual !
and generous lives with increasing use /
fulness, on the contrary, the majority /
Of the girls that danced cut short their /
time of preparation, and made failure |
Of their domestic life.
Precisely what the connection in 9TH
ers may infer, this would seem to be
true: Time spent in dancing, getting |
ready for it and thinking about it,
leaves only an impression upon the
senses, and ends simply In agreeable
feeling. 1t stimulates the emotional
life at the expense Of the mental life |
and favors inclination at the expense
Of judgment. 1t is the well-trained !
mental faculties, with intelligence and
cultivated sympathies, that prolong the
freshness Of life. in women no less than