Los Angeles herald., 1909-11-10
DEFINES BOWlNG AS
FINEST OF THE ARTS
VS. SALUTES EXPRESS
CHARACTER
Noted Delsarte Exponent Lectures Be.
fore the Womans Press Club
Upon Correct Department as
Found in the Bow

Bowing as the flneness of a fine art
was explained to somewhat wonder
ing audience yesterday afternoon at
the Alexandria hotel. when Mrs. Rich
ard Hovey addressed the Woman $
Press club.
mere matter of daily course, which
must be performed perfunctorily upon
stated occasions because it is a custom
But after listening to Mrs. HoVey'
bowing becomes an art and a rare
grace TO be striven for earnestly. III
fact she makes it plain that poWlhe
is more indicative Of ones 1eellnss
than words. ,.
There is the head bow, which ex-
presses mentality; the hip bow whlch
is vulgar; the knee bow, Whlch Is rev
erential; the entire body bow whleh Is
graceful and combines all the pest eie-
ments of the art; the back bow the
side how. the meaningless bow and the
bows Of a thousand dHIerent Klnus'
too numerous to mention.
Although the lecture was dlsunc-
tively for members of the woman
Press GLIB, there were two mere men
nresent. lust the moment Mrs, HoVey
saw the two members OF the opposlle
sex in the audience she included SOME
helpful hints for men on hat-ralslhs
and bowling. Some of the gay Lo-
tharios of Los Angeles may gain rev
noints on politeness If Mrs HoVeys
ideas are followed. For instance, she
would have men raise their hats, then
bow their heads with slight incllna-
ton of the body, if they would be
strictly and totally well bred.
Beauty Lies In Completely
"a thing is more beautiful as 1t Is
complex" said Mrs. Hovey during her
talk, IF it expresses complete mar, mar
mony. Therefore the complex BODY
bow. the one which brings into play
all portions of the body Is the most
beautiful method of expression.
Teach your daughters how to bow
properly. DO not tell them continually
not to do this, that or the other thing.
"Fear of doing the wrong thing
makes persons unnatural. You often
see some supposedly well bred person
in an audience who has assumed one
pose and never changes that position
until after the audience is dismissed.
II is fear of doing the wrong thing
which forces that person into that un-
natural posture. If the individual had
been trained as to how to use the body,
how to allow the various emotions play
upon the body as musician plays
upon the piano, the unnatural would
he eliminated. 1t is so in bowing.
Just teach the individual how to bow
naturally and it will be graceful.
1.-THE real bow begins with the head
and ends at the feet. If the return
to the normal position is done in ex-
actly the same manner as the bow was
made. only reversed, the bow loses its
Significance. To make the perfect bow
complete, one must describe one part
of a circle in making the bow and de-
scribe an entirely different one in as
suming the natural position.
Walking Is Difficult
"Walking properly is one of the most
difficult and complex actions imagin-
able. Yet it becomes simple, graceful
and enjoyable when properly under
stood.
"There are so many bows to be made,
so many things to be expressed with
each bow, that to teach a single bow
is foolish. Mothers should learn first
how to bow, walk and act. Then they
will be competent to teach their chill
dren.
Expression is the religion of the re-
lation of the inner being to the outer
or physical body. The body is sancti-
fed when that relation is perfectly
harmonious. Therefore, learn how to
bow as first step toward sanctifying
the body
Mrs. Hovey's ideas are based upon
Delsarte, of which she was one Of the
most prominent exponents. While ac-
lively engaged in that work she gained