The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1917-09-27
tCowrisht, plf.l

tCoIgnent. nl1J
A graceful carriage and an attrac-
tive bearing are impossible without
poise. What Is poise? Poise is the
quality OF being well balanced. PoIse
is equilibrium. Applied to the human
form, It IL that equal distribution OF
mcn:al and physical forces which en-
ables one to carry the body with east.
reposefulness. grace, and elegance.
Writers upon this subject always refer
their readers to the ancient Greeks as
examples. par excellence. OF perfec-
ton I'm bodily development. II Is true
that their statues seem imbued with
life. and fairly breathe those qualities
Of easy power. majestic repose and
superb poise, to which the men and
women OF those days attained.
They did not reach these heights Of
sublime development without effort; IL
is well known that physical culture
entered into the daily regime OF their
lives. and was regarded as necessary
TO health and well-being as eating and
sloeping-perhaps more so.
Poise is then the first essential to an
easy, graceful carriage. but IL the
body is net well balanced-that is.
properly proportioned-the defects
must first be corrected. II. for in
stance. the weight Is out of proportion
to the height. II must be trained down
to equalize Il: IL the torso is heavy
and the legs small. the necessary
measures to bring them more in ac-
cord with each other should be pur-
sued. II the bony framework is per-
feet, and there Is superabundance OF
flesh. there can be no poise. for fat
is fatal to ease and grace OF motion.
II is a frequent complaint OF physi-
cal culturists that their pupils are
even ignortant OF the correct way TO
stand. Dressmakers are given 20 the
same complaint. This Is an illustra-
ton OF lack OF poise. To stand prop
erly-that Is, to hold oneself correctly
in the erect posture-the body is held
as tall as possible without rising upon
the toes; by this means the trunk is
given its fullest length; all the organs
are in position and have plenty Of
space; the head is held erect in such
a manner that no muscles are strain
ed: the chest expands easily and nat
grally; the abdomen is flat-and by
the way. the back is flat. The body
is held easily and lightly upon the ball
of the feet. and an imaginary line
drawn straight through from head 10
foot enters at the top of the head,
passes down directly in front OF the
ear. at the inner arm. through the
center of the chest. abdomen, hips.
drops out at the knees, and passes
through the ball of the foot.
The number OF men and women who
are so formed. and who are able TO
maintain the body in perfect poise. are
very few. Usually this imaginary line
passes through the shoulders. because
they SLOUGH. through the spinal col
umn at the waist. because the back
caves in" and drops down al the heel,
because the body is thrown forward
and the weight sustained on the heels.
1t is obviously impossible to acquire
poise unless the body is correctly held,
and in this respect much ignorance
prevails. II is strange that so far as
the minor defects of the spinal column.
10 which bad habits OF posture give
Use. are concerned, we. the civilized
II the earth. fall so far below the ami
mai and the savage. For who has