Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-09-17

hal, eridiron. or a baseball diamond, or in
a canoe or with gun over his shoulder.
He is going to make the man who will lead
mentally, because he is powerful physically.
There is no beauty in dandlhed lttle
boy, but the hearty youngster with dirty
face may be the handsomest boy IN the
world. Don't be afraid of little DIRT LOT
vour son and heir; it won't hurt him. But
take heed if his face is whittier than 1t
should be and if he lacks the wholesome
boys appetite.
to be found. This holds good of men and
women, of boys and girls Unless your boy
is being built up into physically strong
man he is not on the right road. Why
should a mother not think of the good
looks of her SOM Is he not just as much
entitled to care of this kind as his sister is
To be sure, it is not a tabooed thing that he
have tan and freckles as 1t seems to be
with girls, but the beauty of strength is a
kind that he is entitled to- If 1T is not his
by nature help him to it.
Plenty Variety in Them.
There are countless simple exercises that
the very little boy can be safely given, and
they will afford him any amount of amuse-
ment especially if he is not pupil of some
school, Most of the schools of our country,
public and private, teach calisthenlcs IN
some FORM and a child who is used to these
finds no novelty in them at home HOW
ever he usually needs more than he gets IN
home he will find them most interesting.
The most up-to-date instructors do not
| give apparatus of any kind to chlldren uh-
der nine or ten years. The principal rea-
son for this is that they may bruise them
selves However, If you are handing Two
| little pupils at home you can easily see TO
| 1t that they do not harm themselves or each
other with light dumb-bells The bells are
| as much as need be given in the way of
apparatus. They will lend variety to the
lessons. Begin with quarter-pound beil,
which has not enough weight to injure the
| smallest child who is able to go through
| the exercises at all.
But before any dumb-bell Is given to him
| teach him the principles of standing and
| breathing. OF course, the correct standing
| position consists of throwing back the
| shoulders and throwing forward the chest,
| but 1t Is almost impossible to tell child
this and show him how to put the rule into
| effect without his becoming stiff and I'M
| comfortable in his effort to take the posi-
| ton. Instead, let him stand before you
| naturally, then stretch Tell him toilet his
arms hang at his sides. Then have him
| raise them straight above his head, letting
| them bend neither backward nor forward,
| as they will be inclined to do. The fingers
should be outstretched, the palms facing
each other. When the arms are up. tell
| him to rise as high as possible upon his
| tiptoes. Say Higher, higher!'' to him
| til he is stretching to the utmost height of
| which he Is capable; then let him relax
| quickly. He must not hold the stretching
| position. but must repeat it several times.
| 1t will please him if you will measure his
| stretch each day and show him that he is
progressing.
Shoulders Back.
After repeating the stretch four or five
| times you will find that he comes back to
| fairly erect position of his own accord
| and without making effort to throw the
shoulders back.
Now let him place hands ON hips, thumbs
back. Tell him to throw the chest for
ward as far as possible You must puff
out like little bantam" will be words Of
announcement. With his chest in a good
position he Is ready to raise his hands to
H. resting them lightly on the finger tips,
elbows out and on level with the Shout
aers. NOW tel him to inhale, having first
deep breath just as far down as he can
make the breath go. He must keep his lips
closed The breath must get in by way of
IN. .he hostlils' although it will try to part
his lips and creep in that way
Next, he must exhale and much more
St ne Aps are to be opened and the
b 6lg breath h,a ao let out in rush Show him
little rubber balloon, then how 1t collapsed
just as when hole is made In the balloon
ana the air rushes out of it.
our repetit,ons and he has chad enough
Tor the first lesson. He should never be
given over five breaths at 4 time. although
breathing may alternate with all the exer-
cises. 80
Stretch arms forward on a level with the
s,,aa is palms a facing each other Four
times with the right hand four times with
the left, four times with both. AS the les
sons progress these motions may be varied
6y aternate stretches of right and left
nrst letting one arm stretch and return be- J
fore the other begins; then as skill devel- /
ops , letting the right stretch forward while
the left returns to hip and vice versa.
Back to the Hips.
palms down, returning hands to hips each |
time Count and alternate as before.
Hands on hips. Raise to shoulders. Care !
must be taken to force the elbows back |
when doing this. If the elbows sag or bend
Forward then the chest is not held In the
proper position. This exercise is especially |
the chest
some easy trunk motions may be taken
up In the beginning of these lessons. You
may nave some trouble in teaching the |
child that bend is to be accomplished at