Evening star., 1938-12-27
Good Posture
Influenced
BY Health
Helpful Exercises
Beneficial to a
Young Child
BY ANGELO PATRI.

A good posture is not a gift. It
cannot be put on child's body by
command. Stand up," won't do
the work no matter how often it is
thundered at the dropping slouch-
ing, bowed child.
Good posture is the outward
expression Of inward strength. The
strength, the power and the grace
that holds body upright and sends
it along gracefully, smoothly, comes
from mental and physical health.
A healthy, happy child, will carry
himself well. Training in athletics,
dancing and rhythmic movements
Of any sort, add style, but they do
not create the power that good
posture demands. Health does that.
How can we give health to the
child of poor posture? We cannot
give it to him, but we might be
able to lead him into a state Of
mind which would move him to
create it for himself. AS a start we
might get him to read, or falling
that, we might read to him DR.. C.
Ward Champions book that teaches
training for health.
Such q child, boy or girl, needs
medical care first. The physician
in charge of him gives him a care
full examination and records what
he finds. Then he lays out In
course Of treatment, usually no med
icine, and asks for the cooperation
Of the child, the parents and the
teachers who are concerned in the
childs problem.
The poor posture starts when
the child begins to fall below STAN
dard in health. Often 1t is not
noticed until the child is entering
Adolescence, when, because of the
strain on his body, his health is
lessened and all deficiencies are
more marked. At this time many
school children are found with bad
teeth. These must be attended to
Immediately. They are a source Of
trouble until they are cleaned and
filled. It is crime against child
hood to extract teeth that should
be permanent. We should have
dental care for school children from
entrance to graduation. A clean
mouth filled with healthy teeth is
one long step toward good health
and good posture.
Deep, free, rhythmic breathing
is essential to health. The nose
and throat should be free Of OBJ
struction, clear Of disease, in order
to insure this essential function
of the child's body. Too many
school children are found with
obstructed breath. Adenoids are
not normal, growth and must be
removed. Healthy tonsils are nor
NAL growths and should be kept
in health. Diseased ones must be
removed, but only diseased, ones
Normal breathing gives splendid
lift to the body and is another es-
sential step in good posture, the
expression Of good health.
All children need activity. School
children sit still for too many hours
of the day. Free play, organized
and supervised, but free in that
the game is the thing, not the
stilted gymnastic drill, is as essen
tial to the health and the good
posture of school children as fresh
air, good food and plenty Of sleep
Play is the duty of childhood i'm
posed by nature for the stimulation
Of healthy growth. Nothing, nobody
has the right to deprive a child Of
healthy, happy play.
Corrective exercises are needed
for some children, and these must
be given by expert teachers, trained
in that field. If a child has bac
posture look to his health routine
first.
| (Copyright, 193S)