The Washington times., 1918-05-27
USING YOUR
HANDS
EUery Girl Should
KHOLO HOL1 to Do
Several Things.
By Eleanor Gilbert,
AuGAoF of AThs Ambitious wonan n
Busiaess."

SST HERE are just two things I
can't use in = prohta BILE
way" ehesrfuIiy announced
enc Of the successful business Wo-
men in the little group. Both my
banda I sew not. neither can I
spin. Ny efforts At darnInE are
guaranteed to bring tears to the
eyes Of the beholdsr. When there's
packing scheduled. all I need DO IL
to permit some male friend or rsl-
ativs to observe my activitioS-
and the Job iS speedily taken sR my
banda
she IL beautiful ana graceful
enough. generally speaking. but her
hAnds are strangely awkward in
their movements II seems she has
been . brain worker most OF her
days City-brsd.' there has never
been the least demand on her for
manual dsEtsrity. She has led .
strenuous life. but It has been Sc
full Of exclusively mental oecupA-
ton that there has been neither
time nor taste for manual exercise
Of any kind.
II seems strange that only one or
two generations ago the entire
economic value Of 4 woman lay in
the skill of her hands. while to-day
the value OF hand labor is deprs-
-. l. l. 49,
may be more completely Elorifed.
And because IL is . great temptA-
tion to the business woman with
interesting mental work TO let that
work eclipse any possible Interest
In manual deIterity. she needs -
make a decided effort to develop
her physical coordination.
Indeed, the business woman needs
TO develop her physical co-ordinA-
ton more than the business man
Csven though tradition had II that
every youth had to be fortified
against emergency by knowing q
manual 'trads"). For the majority
OF business women sooner or later
pIEn to take up Housekeeping
cares, where the balance OF enort
Is on the manual. not mental side.
Most important. there Is tre-
nsndouG need for handmade"
asrvics in the many war activities,
either volunteer or paid. The Red
Cross and the aviation division with
nssds for women workers require
women who can use their hands
And physical coordination and de1-
terity are abSoIutely essential to
any woman who wants to do war
relief work.
OF course, there are a great many
kusinssI women whose tastes or re-
sponaibIlitiss have always given
them plenty Of manual exercise
either in actual work AT home or In
pleasant hand occupations Ike sew
ing, various kinds OF art work. etc
But for women who have no definite
tastes or duties II 10 necessary to
cultivate q few that will help de-
Vslop the cunning Of the hands.
This does not mean only bodily eE-
0roissS in gymnasium or the open.
although golf tennis and other
sports are excellent.
II means exercise in the hand"
tasks Of the home. II means per-
hapa q Earden which will thrive
only By the unceAsinE care OF pair
Of strong hands. II n whole garden
isn't possible. perhaps there is
porch which can be transformed
into q hanging garden by various
devices: and even the hall room"
girl needn't deny herself the lux
Vry Of . solitary window box for
the cultivation OF some nasturtiums,
ESranIums and other blooms. Max
ing Red Cross bandaSes 10 an eH-
eellent way Of developing your
hand deItsrity.
Let none say: The tired business
VSmAn has exercised her fingers at
a typewriter all dAS-mAnual labor
enough" Operating 4 typewriter IL
mentAl-msohAnical labor. Il IL
automatic. and pressing down keys
with . few fingers does not develop
hand grace or deXteTity. The buHi-
mesa woman must let her hands get
familiar with varying tasks 90 that
they are graceful and at ease IN
many JcupAtions--Iust as the we'll
rounded mental y oTker 10 eventual
ly at eAss IN discussing any topic
ARS U6ArA