The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-02-07
FENCING HAS BECOME
A VERY POPULAR FAD
Indianapolis Men and Society
Women Have Taken Up the
Use of FoilS.
SOME OF THE FENCERS
Robert Scott and Fred II. Sterling
Are Pupils in Professor Lee
MARES Class.
SOME OF THE FENCERS

Fencing has become one Of the popular
sports among men and women of Indianap-
oils. So enthusiastic have some of the
fencers become that the sport is a fad
among society people. For several years
fencing has been taught in the local turn
vereins more as a matter of furnishing ex-
ercise than to perfect the use of foils. This
winter, however, there has been a decided
interest in the sport, due to the fact that
Professor Nestor Lemaire, fencing master
of ability, is conducting a fencing school
in this city. Many prominent business men
and society women are included in his
classes and several of them already have
become adopts with the foils.
Prof. Lemaire, instructor of fencing In
the indianapolis Young Mems Christian As
ISOLATION, was maitre d. armes of the
French army. He entered the service of
France when fifteen years of age and
served his country eight years leaving the
army with the title of fencing master of
the regiment. In five weeks time he has
enrolled seventy-five pupils in his class
in this city and this most healthful of
sports Is now enjoying a great BOOM
Fencing is pre-eminently an exercise of
the mind and body, one that requires in
the highest degree not only strength, but
qulckneSS of movement, while at the same
time the mind in all its faculties is kept
alert, not only studying so far as attack is
concerned, but in studying every muscular
movement and every idea of the fencer' s
adversary so as to anticipate his intended
movements.
There time when the use of a
sword or napier was part OF Il gentleman's
education and every gentleman wore a 'giz-
zard skewer' upon his thigh even when he
went to private party or a religious tea
drinking. Now. however, the order of
frowned upon by some people who do not
understand that the use of the rapier is one
of the most beneficial of exercises.
That Professor Lemaire's method of train
ing Is successful is shown by the grace and
ease with which his pupils handle the foils.
Besides being an authority of note on fenc-
ing Professor Lemaire has been judge in
contests wherein many of the fencing mas
ters of the world have opposed each other.
Mrs. Lemaire is also an adept with the
foils and she supervises the work of the
women's classes.
In regard to his work Professor Lemaire
said mo system of physical education
can be complete unless ii aims at the SYM
metrical development of the whole body.
The results of physical training are not
always what they should be. In too many
instances they become disasters in place OF
blessings to the individuals of either child
hood, youth or maturity of both sexes This
is caused either by the fact that, owing to
the deplorable ignorance of the director OF
Instructor, training is given for the purpose
of physical development which lacks a
scientific foundation. Fencing teaches men
and women TO hold themselves erect meas
ure distance to- hairs breadth and tc
walk like human beings proud of their SUI
periority over the animal world"
Robert Scott and Fred II. Sterling are two
of the best pupils under Professor Lee
MARES instruction. Although fencing with
them is a new exercise, both have shown
wonderful aptitude with the foils, and will
soon be in position to hold their own with
| any fencers in the country.