Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1900-03-14
WOMEN,
Mrs. Jenness Miller
Lectured to Akron Ladies
Tuesday Night.
Not a Dress Reformer,
But Dress Improver.
Sweeping Street Skirts Given
a Roast.
Physicians Will be Unknown Fifty
Years Hence.

NTs' JeHucSS Miller, tnc W0rlu-Wlue
advocate of dress reform, lectured at
the Cnivcrsalist church Tuesday night
The lecture was given under the aus
pices of the Ladies' Aid Society of the
church, and was attended by a fair
sized audience, which, with the excep-
ton of quartet of men, was com
prlsed of women.
The term, dress REFORM rankles
in Mrs. Miller's breast, and during her
lecture she said, that she preferred to
be known as dress improver.
Miss l.. Elmie Warner, of Buchtel
college, introduced the speaker of the
evening. Mrs. Miller appeared upon
the platform, dressed in an artistic
vervctina,loose fitting gown. on traine
According to her own statement 1t was
her own idea of an artistic parlor cos
tune.
The subject Of the noted womans
lecture, was "Knowledgc That is
Powerj' She said In part:
There is n certain kind of knowl.
edge which puts us in possession of
our powers. wns first led to think
along this line, few years ago, by
hearing one countryman remark TO an.
other, What we need Is more larnin,
that we can put to account Tonight
will speak of the knowledge that is
power to woman, MS a wife ana
mother, and which results in the wight
management of herself and her home.
There was time, when thought
"drcss" was of the most vital import
ancc. but there are other questions,
more pertinent to our welfare. The
question Of when to eat; what to cat;
and how 10 eat it, is n study of life
time The average man and woman
never will and never can acquire the
knowledge of being scientific cooks
IL all the various tissues of the body
are properly nourishcd there will be II
general collapse.
II do not believe that 30 years hence
when our civilization shall have be-
come perfected, that we will need
physicians. How absurd Il is to think
of one class of men, living OH our mis-
fortunes. With the highest civillza-
ton we shall pay men to keep us well,
not to get us well. I say men, for l
am sorry to say, that, for the most
part. men are better cooks than
women. II | were II young woman,
with n college cducation would add
to that, n scientific knowledge OF cook
cry, There is no better way to bring
people 10 the Kingdom OF Heaven,
thau 10y good food and pure water,
"Thc higher civilization vii. demand
that every candidate for marriage
VOWS, shall pass physical cNaminn-
ton. That is the scieutiiic way TO
build character
II formerly talked Glibly about phys
ical development" continued Mrs. Mil
Ter, but then, did not think that
everybody would do all manner of
things, In It's name. Physical devel-
opmcnt is All essential part of body
building and Is an absolute science"
Mrs. Miller denounced college ath,
letics, tests Of strength, and calsthe-
nics, as not being samples of physical
Developments
The speaker gave illustrations of
standing, sitting and walking, She
admonlshed people to rest Mt every
opportunity, that we may he prepared
for the various activities of life.
"We will never have complete cd
ucation," said Mrs. Miller, until we
make the physical training a basis,
The physical should underlie the mep.
tai, then we shall never hear of brok.
en- down students. believe that ey.
cry child, who crosses the threshold
of a school room, should be given a
physical examination,
Il must say word about clothing"
continued the speaker. Fashion gives
us good deal that is grotesaue. The
sweeping street skirt is indecent and
immoral. We go along making street
scavengers of ourselves, and carry the
germs Of disease into our homes.
There is no necessity for 1t and
am disgusted with my sex. Yet, in
the face of 1t all we talk of our glor-
ious advancement, believe that our
street attire should follow existing