FOR THE CHILDREN.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3184, 1 April 1911, Page 10

FOR THE CHILDREN.

HOW TO GROW TALL

The first certain thing it that no one can hope to grow tall except during the growing period. Trees and other plants have powers of growing in some directions which last indefinitely, but we have a period' of growth, and after it we can grow no more. The tallness of the body mainly depends on the length of, the legs. The backbones of short and tall people differ very little in length, but their legs make the* difference. The length of the logs depends on the activity, during the period of growth, of certain cells found ndar the end's of the bones. These cells disappear once and for all when we grow up, and nothing can recall them. Onr tallness depends on the extent to which these cells work while they exist.

The second certain thing is that different people are distined by Nature to grow to different heights, and it has been clearly proved that we inherit our destiny in this respect, as in many others, from our parents. The proper way of saying this is that stature is hereditary. But there are comparatively only few people who reach the full tallness which Nature would permit for them. The problem for those who want to grow tall is bow to reach as nearly as possible to this limit —which may be tall or short-—that Nature has decreed.

We must simply follow the rules of good health during all the years of growth, and especially, if we are to choose, during the years between, say, twelve and eighteen, when the greater part of our growth usually occurs. And as it isi upon the legs that tallness depends, we must use, our legs well. Following the rules of good health means that we shall have plenty of good blood to feed the cells that make the length of . the leg-hopes, and using the legs in play and running and lumping and skipping will mean that plenty of this good blood 'goos to the legs. But tallness is of no importance compared with strength and energy and power of resistance; and there is no real' relation 1 between tallness and any of those important things.