The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-10-30
of Topeka Girls Are
Enrolled in Glasses
For Learning Aesthetic Dane.
ing, Acrobatics, Swimming.
THEY LIKE DANCING BEST
Drilled in Military March.
Field and Gym Work.
Broad Jump Record of IA Feet
Is Hung Up.

Two hundred and twelve Topeka
girls are cutting pigeon wings, taking
aesthetic dancing, and learning anna
teur acrobatics at the Y. w. c. A. this
winter.
The girls like aesthetic dancing best.
gymnasium work next and track work
last.
1--WE don't seem able to do very
much with mems sports" said one of
the girls. 1--WE can jump and run all
right but no one seems able to make
good record. You ought to see us
march though-we can even run and
keep step"
The girls do not bewail their in
ability to hurdle or run the dashes in
comparable time with their masculine
relatives but are proud of their
aesthetic dancing.
whoever saw a mans class doing
aesthetic dancing? ?" asked Miss Kate
Williams, the physical director. why,
they'd be as awkward as a bear in a
china shop
There are II children taking dane
ing, 81 in the advanced gymnasium
classes, IA in the teachers gymnasium
classes, IA, in the advanced class, rs in
the beginners gymnasium class. 26
married women are taking gym
work, 16 in the advanced gymnasium
class, Is in the children's gymnasium
class, 80 in the basketball and volley-
ball teams, and 80 club girls taking
gymnasium work, making PIP in all.
The Y. w. c. A. gymnasium is
equipped with flying rings, horse,
buck, parallel bars, and giant stride.
There is no track.
The Military Drill.
The beginner is given straight MILL
tary drill, such as the facings, march
ing and keeping step, double time, and
other simple movements which have
to be performed in unison and to a
count. The girls get so they can run
around the gymnasium in perfect step
and halt at the command without
anyone's breaking step"
They don't like military drill said
them a little extra they generally
complain about it, as the monotony Of
it is tiresome."
Aesthetic dancing is the true girls
sport" according to Miss Williams.
Most of the girls take to ii naturally
and become very proficient. Aesthetic
dancing is unlike the modern dances
in that the dancer and her partner 90
not have holds. The children's class
is very popular, many being enrolled.
Several clubs meet at the Associa-
ton building once week and gymna-
SUM work is on their program always.
There are thirty girls enrolled in the
clubs.
Work has grown to such proportions
that Miss Williams cannot begin to
handle it all and has as helpers Miss
Ellen Hulse, TIC Lincoln street; Miss
Dorothy Light, 721 Stevens street, and
Miss Hazel Graves, 722 Tyler street.
The young women are mostly coaching
basket ball and volley ball teams.
At the track meet held last spring
TO times were taken in the running
events, but heights and distances were
measured. The broad jump was won
by leap of IA feet and another girl
won the high jump at 4 feet inches.
Another track meet will be held this
coming spring.
No Tumbling.
No tumbling or pyramid work is I'M
n FOL a
to hold people on ones shoulder and it
is deemed that the strain would be too
much for any one girl Several girls
can turn handsprings and genuine
cartwheels and they do so for the edi-
fication of the spectators in the gym
nasium but Miss Williams never asks
the class to do SO.
The swimming classes are the boast
of the institution, swimming being
one sport in which the girls are al
good as the men. Many girls are ex-
cellent swimmers and nearly two
thirds of them can paddle a little.
as that belonging to the Y. NJ. G. A
and 1894 girls took plunges.
Don't Like Winter Swims.
But the young women don't like the
winter swimS they are generally
afraid of getting their hair wet ard
consequently cold. All of them wear
rubber hair protectors but these do
not prevent the water from wettins
the hair, it seems.
is the electric hair drier that the As
ISOLATION has installed 1t will take
care of six girls at once and curr mt
of hot dry air is forced out of a small
opening by fan which will dry an
average head of hair in five minutes