The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1898-10-28
THE "MODERN DANCE"
s'Youth" Not in Accord With a Re
cent Discourse on the Subject.

Mr.. EDITOR-"Ihe -Modefn
Dancep was the subject of an in
terestil g discourse delivered by
one of our prominent ministers :
last Sunday evening. The worthy :
gentleman asked each listener to
answer himself a series OF ques-
tons put to the congregation, and
| beg space in your paper to give
public expression to my answer.
| believe the gentleman voiced
his true sentiments and was SIN
cere in every statement he
made regarding the assumed evils
of the modern dance, yet he has
never danced. | shall be equally
sincere in setting forth my opln-
ions which are based upon my
experience as dancer.
Prejudice is like flaw i'll a
mirror. 1t causes objects to be
presented to the mind i'll distorted
forms. | once read of a gentle
man who had his own opinion OF
the pyramids and journeyed to
Egypt to assure himself that he
was in the right; he viewed them
from great distance and upon
returning to his home wrote
very pretty little poem about
"three antiquated Egyptian Mole
Hills"
The Modern Dance" was con
sidered from three points of vle",
viz: its effect upon the youth,
financially, intellectually and NOR
ally. The @public" dance was
: taken as an example and in this
: particular Instance was not appll'
l cable, as a public dance is the rare
: exception and not the rule in Cor
Wallis. There was to have been a
t public dance last New Years eve
and another Oh the evening of the
e Fourth OF July. On both occa
q sions the hall was lighted and the
II musicians appeared on time, bu'
II there was ne dance in either in
y stance. And whys The hall was
G filled with spectators but there
were less than a dozen dancers
The people of Corvallis do no
patronize public dances.
The statement was made TIA
g Objectionable characters woul'
S. creep in and young lady woul'
of accept such characters as partner
l. rather than give offence. A Silver
;e ton young lady might be tha
y meek, but Corvallis girls are mad
I'd of sterner clay. Should an objee
D. tionable character presume 10 re
I'd quest dance of a lady. wEich
a. not likely, he would receive
II prompt and polite refusal.
'd True, the dance does incur som
lie slight expense. But what amuse
n ment does not cost some time an
ldf money, or both2 All work and II
re play makes Jack a dull boy.
n Some diversion is absolutely nece:
As sary. Because one man cheals.ill
SO grocer to pay far the dance it doe
4 moi signify that ali men do SD, oI
Ks that the dance is wrong. La ever
IN community there are men who d
'd not pay their debts. Aad me
r have been known to even ro
'e the butcher to- pay the preaehe
~ vet this fact could not be used a
N all argument for the suppressio
N of preachers.
N Yes, our college professors d
Or dance. Last winter no less tha
lt ten of our brightest and most pre-
lie gressive professors and assistant
Dr attended the dances. That {
least some of the foremost institr
tons of learning i'll the countr
sanction dancing is evident frol
,, the fact that at West Point an
nc Annapolis, the two schools tina
ct have turned out the brightes
pt brainiest and most polished me
n of modern times, dances are hel
:. tri-weekly.
4. Emerson says ''address is th
40 key that opens tho door of tn
# highest society,"" and this addres
g. or rather polish and elegance c
y manner is moro quickly and full
w acquired in the ball room tha
II elsewhere. In this direction tn
" improvement noted among tia
ri students last year was pronounce
+ and Lieutenant Dentler's dancin
I'd school is entitled to the credit.
u. Miles, Schley, Sampson an
If Hobson, the American heroes VIII
10 have decked Columbia's brow wit
,e wreaths OF victory, all dance
nt Aud Dewey, the idol Of ever
American heart, is noted bal
e. room beau. Our recent great viz
= tories, which have advanced tn
J. worlds civilization an hundre
a. years, were won by dancin
y # men. Had | the space | coul
V show that most of the great lead
N ers in Americas history. fror
q Washington down to Dewey, hav
:'tripped the light fantastic"
o There may be some minds S
Il debased as to have been affecte
!. oy the dance. The evil min
dwells on things mean and lo'
regardless of circumstances @
Il place, but the thought that 18th
2 very position suggests impropri
.r ETY." never entered the minds G
" the young people who dance unit