Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-08

well-known limits of the winter home, be
1t village or city, and to whom the posi-
bilities of tennis, swimming OF horseback
ride never suggest themselves.
This is the kind of girl who has all my
sympathy, for she Is the home-stayfng girl
whose father and mother. sisters and broth
ers, cousins and aunts simply nag her into
a state of collapse because of her bad car
riage. Of course, they are right In theory,
but they are wrong in practice. The con-
slant reminder becomes a source of ner-
vous irritation to a high-spirited girl. 1t
has been frequently known to lead to hys-
terra. The girl who droops must make up
her mind that her physical attitude is really
q menace to her future good health and
looks This Is really fact; weak back
and weak lungs mean physical discomfort In
later years, often disease and always lack
of beauty. Make up your mind, girls, to
carry yourselves erectly. Realize the I'M
portance of strong lungs and a strong spine.
You know that when one says of man
that he has no backbone 1t means he has no
strength of character weak physical
backbone means a weak body. Your back
bone will be weak If you curve it constantly
and If you hold it in the position which de-
notes feebleness. A faulty position of the
body In standing or sitting interferes with
the important functions of respiration
cramps the vital organs and weakens the
muscles of waist, chest and back.
Once the Importance of sitting and stand
ing correctly is realized, every girl shouts
have pride enough to hold her body COR
rectly and without reminder. She does
need a certain reminder, but it should con-
sist in time devoted daily to strengthen
ing and Strengthening her body by physical
exercises. No apparatus is needed for
these exercises. excepting an old broom
handle or a stick of about that size. II
one does not wish to so through the exer-
b cises which / am going to give, at least
these simple rules must be remembered
They are the correct positions for standing
and sitting.
Sit well back in the chair, never sit on
the edge of the chair; keep your back
straight and bend from the hips only. The
normal position of the spine Is straight
one.
Stand with feet slightly apart. resting
the weight on the balls OF the feet. The
hips should be we'll back SO that they bear
some of the weight of the body; the chest
held up, but not sufficiently to feel strained
in trying to be straight. The upper part OF
the body always bent forward from the
hips. The shoulders should be held back
in a natural manner-dont strain.
Only in the first of the following exer-
cises should the sense of strain be felt IN
the shoulders. For this exercise nothing is
needed but loose garment bathing SUIT
or gymnasium suit, even ones comfort
able shirt waist suit. Stand In the first
dance position, which is with heels together,
toes Slightly apart and body perfectly up
right: bend the arms at the elbows and
place the hands at the shoulders Feel that
the shoulders pressed backward Now
go through the following movements. al
ways In the same body position. Raise the
arms over the head and bring them down
again to the shoulders. Stretch the hands
outward and then bring them back with
some force to the shoulders Now swing
the hands and arms backward and then for
ward back to the same position. This ex-
ercise should be repeated for four or five
minutes until the muscles are fatigued.
Now get a broomstick, grasp 1t with two
hands In front, swinging 1t high over the
head, and then to the right and down so
that the stick is the line with the shoul-
der. One arm would be bent above the
shoulder and the other elbow will be bent
below the shoulder line Raise the stick
and swing 1t again to the other side, pass
ing the stick back of the head, of course.
The third exercise again necessitates the
use of the broomstick. Grasp the broom
stick in front with the palms of the hands
outward Swing the stick to the right In
front Of YOU Then up over the head and
down back of the shoulders. Now repeat
the exercise. swinging first to the left
II these exercises are done for fifteen
minutes each day the vacation girl will feel
that she has overcome her tendency to
droop and is upright and graceful and
strong. as nature intended her to be.