The San Francisco call., 1906-10-28
WHAT HAS BECOME OF
MIDDLE-AGED WON AN?

elimination in the body feminine which
we can prove incontroyertibly. The
reason cannot be found in superficial
things. We must go to the very source
OF the life OF the modern woman and
see wherein 1t differs from that OF
her female progenitors.
During the last quarter OF the last
century. which has seen so marvellous
a broadening of the interests and ac-
tivities OF women, there has been q de-
velopment almost as remarkable In the
physical life OF women. Women OF 40
today are swimmers. tennis-players.
are oarswomen and athletes. They are
good walkers, good mountaineers. And
engaging in such pursuits these.
women maintain the youthful lines OF
their figures and the supplenegs OF
youth; more than that and better than
that. youth stays In their faces.
Women have learned the secret OF
youth, we might almost say, youth FOR
their bodies as well as their souls; at
least the knowledge OF retaining youth
until that perhaps equally enviabls
state called old age with It's wealth OF
memories comes to them.
Mrs. Walter E. Magee. director OF
athletics for women at the University
of California ever since the fncorpora-
tion OF that department. staunchly
corroborates the statement that the
passing bell has been tolled for middle
aged women as they were used to be
known, and she more than any other
man or woman in the State knows why
It is. and has been instrumental IN
causing it to be.
Mrs. Magee says: mo really modern
woman can grow middle-aged. She
has too many other things to do. She
is young as long as she is modern, and
when she is no longer modern she Is
old. Middle-age was dwindling of
from the activities Of youth to the in
activities of old age Nowadays
women are active not until their tale
OF years permits them to lay down
their instruments OF pleasure or OF
work, but until nature forces them to
lay them down.
THE remarkable things that we have
been able to accomplish for girls in
the gymnasiums Of this country have
been winning over to athletics every
thinking girl and woman who is cogni-
zant of the facts. Not that they have
all OF them-the advantages that are
at the disposal Of those who exer-
else in well-equipped gymnasiums. but
there are innumerable cases within my
knowledge of girls who with little
well directed general instruction have
without any equipment at all beside
their own Wills and untold patience
done their bodies wonderful service
Not only do our students learn to
exercise, but they learn rcpose. a les
son quite as valuable. Moreover they
are taught how to sleep. / can't tell
you how many girls I have taught 70
forsake the nightmare habit and wake
fulness at night. We also teach our
girls how TO breathe You will say
that these are simple things. and so
they are. but not unimportant for that.
Knowing how to sleep Is in itself in
valuable. So many people tie up an
their muscles when they settle down
to sleep. and in spite of all nature can
do those muscles continue unreiaxed
throughout the night.
At last women are. learning to walk.
and that was a thing in the knowledge
OF which middle-aged women were de-
plorably lacking. They were too apt
to, walk with the assistance OF their
knees
Repose OF features we are aiming j..
at continually. and that is also arr.
rived at by wonen's greater interest in
things that count. Today there IS not
so much Worrying over matters OF In
hnitesimal Importance As said be-
toreA women are too busy
TO sum all up. women have learned
and are employing the only natural
means Of health. whose greatest bene-
NJ is long youth. In our present
scheme OF things there is no place for
middle age. We are a people Of g.
tremes.s