Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-03-01

VI" S'"ooi. should permit for NO.
man only such sports as perfectly pre-
serve her femninity.' he saws. ..If this
condition is observed she may do as
She pleaseS. In that case she has NOT
need to fear overexertion. which mako.
heT ugly. nor the ridiculous costumes
nor the lobster face with hair drinninr
with perspiration. What do I mean nv
ncing "A woman? Why. simply BENG
as unlike a man as possible ana mar.
ucu'ariv TO be sufficiently couret
hi"cIouS' elegant and distinguished. II
inc women follow my direction thev
VIII preserve their superiority over
men. VIII continue to make what tbey
please out of man. and the men win
remain poilte, or rather, will again
learn to be polite"
Ernest Legouve, the acadcmocian and
author of many fine comedies. move, in
tile same course of poIitcncss desp;te
the fact that for some time he = q
patriarch in point of age. His view is:
adNice fencing for young girls and
women. but | protest enerscticallv
against gymnastics which excessively
ieVelop the muscles ana destroy the
harmony of outline in woman Tho
woman does not need biceps like y
man. and all hard exercises which
tend to give her such must be con-
demned. from the viewpoint of
aesthetic rs well as from that ex
Pediency. for the physical economy or
a woman may be disturbed even ~ ,
oasatelle. Everything that makes her
masculine. or rather boyish: cvcrv-
fhlng which is merely an expression
81 bodily strength is It nonsense in
woman. on the other hand every
thlng that is graceful always is felni-
nine. Swimming. for instance. is =
sport which is useful and 1T the same
umc requires no special effort of any
particular music. IT is rhythmic. har-
monious ana on the whole easy move
ment. No tiresome effort should ever
he required OF woman"
Daniel Lcsueuc. the pseudonvn rnr 4
Weil-EnoWn woman writer. takes this
position: II think that physical exer
else is just as necessary for women as
Tor men, in the same way as mental
training is necessary for both. Moth
ing is more correct than the expression
hygiene Of the soul. which produces
direct analogy between moral and
physical treatment. The last traces
medieval aScerticiSm are now disap-
pearlng before the regeneration % the
Greek conception which tried to at
tain harmonious ensemble in man
kind. and which never permitted the
icea OF ugly and ContemptibIe lesh.
Health of body is prerequisite for
soundness of soul. and physical ,xer-
cISeS are good for both Certainly.
fashion and vanity have their share in
passion for sport. But this inclination
corresponds with us to new view of
education and to an effort to improve
the race. This inclination cannot be
sufficiently praised and on this point
| make no difference between women
ana men. The development of agility.
OF graCefuneSs and physical courage is
uniformly in the interest of both. But
| think only of such sports as require
bodily strength. such as wheeling. rid
ing, swimming, tennis. and not of the
latest sport of the automobile. The
driving of an automobile is no more a
sport developing beauty, agility and
gracefulness of body than coach driy-
ing is. l am passionately fond Of bod
lily exercise for myself as well as for
others. | admire in the circus the
feats OF strength and of agility. all
those movements which are executed
with perfect and exact grace. and
which further the beauty of pose, gcs-
turc and line"
Dr.. Max Nordau made the following
reply: Woman remains woman-that
is. ysically-whatever she does. In
sports. even the most masculine. she
has other intentions and also other
IA
she is occupied with the question of
costume. She wants to be admired for
her Courageou deeds This is another
form of Conuctry. but it is coquetry
always. / have often thought that if
Diana had worn A chic hunting cos
tun~ she would have been happy to he
admired by Actacon. She ordered him
killed simply because he was indicate
enough to look at her before the
drcssmaker had been there. The adj
venture of Penthesilea proves that
even martial amazon remain woman
to the dying for love. The question
why woman loves sport am unable to
answer. it should he addressed to wo-
men.
The famous poet. Sully Proud
homme. writes: II believe that il is
good for little and even for older girls
to be as much as possible in the open
air, and to strengthen themselves by
gymnastics and plays. If | We're
man of family should favor physical
Development in my daughters as Well
as my sons. But | shudder at the
thought of all which may later on
place strength in the place of grace
| fulneSS energy in place of amahllity
| and agility in place of spontaneous
manner in the young girl. All mas
/ r1lI.np traits which woman acquires
| from man denaturaliZe her and injure
| her attrac tiVeneSS. Concerning the
J ra &c for sport. particularly for automo
| biIism. | believe that solSm has as
much part in it as consideration.
Sporting exercises do not appear to me
to be particularly fit as a rest from
/ The fatigue of the ball or the theatre.
Carmen sylvia. the crowned writer of
| poetry, gives the following reply: Il
! find all forms of moderate sport per-
missile. for woman if she remains
! raceful and sensitive as Sakuntala;
! if she aids the unfOrtunates as st.
I Genevieve: if she loved music like the
sainted Cecilia if she nurses as many
children as Blanca of CASTLE: if she
spins like Queen Bertha: if she weaves