Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1904-03-18
THE BOYS AND GIRLS.
How to Obtain Their Symmetrical
Physical Development.

By CHRISTINE TfRnrNE lIrRRIcR
.iathor oC.' Cradle and Nursery" "Firsi iM q
the Young Hoasckeeper. " "LiousekeepiHg
uhde Edsy," "Thaf 10 Eat"
IN Cay Teais.n EiG,
Copyright 1904. by Chrislipe Torhune ilefrick)
"A healthy, well developed body is the
best gift child can receive. When
| say this | do not mean TO cast any
reflection upon the value OF the train
ed mind or to depreoiate the benefits
Of "A thorough education. But these
are of comparatively small value II
! tho body Is siCkly. | do not forget
/ that such men ms Prescott, Parkman
/ Herbert Spencer and n long list of
other noble students accomplished
their great works In spite of painful
land wearing physical disability They
Ihad a message to deliver to the world
land they compelled their bodies TO yield
to their minds. But they We're eSeep-
Itions As rule the mind is more or
less In bondage to the body. II the
man or woman Is TO make the best
OF his or her mental equipment the
physique must be brought to its high
est perfection
II is never too early to begin to do
this. Those Of us who have trained
children mentally and morally know
that the work Is started when the ba-
bies are IN the cradle. The habits Of
obedience may not be pre- natal but
they should be formed so soon after
birth as TO become Ike nature 10 the
child.
Perhaps It may seem absurd TO de-
mand as much for the child's body
bur we do not know what we might
have made Of Il II we had given II
more intelligent attention. Even as
Il Is the mother soon learns that the
child must not lie In unnatural pos
lures, that the eyes must be cared for,
that the back must be kept straight
and not eyertcd too soon, that the
limbs must be rubbed and fleXed II
they do not develop us they should
The child must not be allowed to sit
up alone. 80 stand or to walk too early
lest there be curvatures or nalforma-
tlons.
KIN this is done while the baby is
a wee thing, but what Is done In the
line Of Intelligent physical guidance
when he-or she is able TO go about
and make a way through the world?
When this point Is reached the chill
dren are allowed TO look out for them
selves They may be encouraged 10
take active exercise, though, indeed,
Nature generally leads them 10 do
this.-but the parents are too few VINO
direct the exercise their children take
and see for themselves that the
Youngsters set about II in the right
way. The boys 90 with other boys
ana So learn 10 play baseball and foot
ball, to swim. to row, 10 ride q wheel
The girls meet other girls and roll
hoon. skin ropee, and bicycle. And the
father and mother feel that they have
done the whole duty Of parents when
they provide the mems for these out
door enioymeuts II seldom occurs to
them 10 make sure that they have se-
cured Just what the children's physical
nature demands much less TO see
that the help to exercise is used in a
way to enable the child to get from II
what he or she needs
Let as take the case OF the bicycle
for instance selecting this because
Of the revival in bicycle riding which
is taking place all over the country
There was a time when ii was fad,
and like most fadg. Il was abused.
There was never good thing yet that
was not susceptible Of misuse, and the
bicycle is a shining example OF the
fact. A few years ago everyone rode
a. wheel Every child wanted one and
the American parent, who Is indul-
rent II he does not always act with
the Intelligence he puts into business
matters. provided his children with
what they wanted. Having done mat
he felt that his responsibility had
ceased He had given the children
what they asked for and that ended
the matter for him.
J. nty
dren they promptly proceeded TO go
ahead and do Ms they pleased, with
the one object in view OF having
good time. They may have had few
lessons IN riding but ii Is quite as
likely as not that ii was not from an
but from a playmate. Some
children, OF the born rider" variety.
had no trouble, but rode at once ana
rode well. Others had bad seat and
4 bad attitude from the first. quite
their wheels had not been
selected properly and We're not adapt.
I'd to their height or their length OF
limb. IF their wheels did not run cas-
.Iv-and In those days the bicycle
was rather different proposition
from what 1t Is to-day,-they took II
IS matter of course and proceeded (
10 Strain themselves instead of de-
reloping their muscles. They evolved /
'or themselves what they thought the /
,est way to ride. and there appeared /
horde Of monkey backs" Or they be-
came enthusiasts in riding and went |
On long runs. setting themselves 10 |
make or break n record among their /
The while the parents /
old complacently of the exploits of I
heir children and never seemed to |
hink that there might be harm doing I
n point of fact men and women were |
not unfrequently led into excess in
his exhiarating exercise and as /
natural sequence there came reac-
ion and the bicycle for a time was
neglected.
Despite the passing of the fad, how
,ver. there has been from the outset
i goodly number Of people who be-