Athletics for Women.

White Ribbon, Volume 9, Issue 97, 1 June 1903, Page 9

Athletics for Women.

Physical perfection was held in the highest esteem by the ancient Greeks and Homans, and men were often chosen to fid important public positions not l»ecause they were suited for them, but because of their unusual physical proportions and great bodily strengtli. Since the positron which a nation held in the work! of tha» time depended entirely on its able to hold its own against its enemies in war, it was only natural that the ancients should do honou r to powerful muscles, which to their represented authority. Hut times have gradually changed, and, as the demand for mere brute force has become less and bss, so has physical development come to l>e regarded as of little consequence. The conditions of rntnlern life have tended to turn men’s thoughts away from the development of bon* and muscle. The perfect symmetry of form, met with in ancient Greek art, is very seldom found, and the modern sculptor—quite unable to secure a living model for his purpose - is obliged to make his figure up by combining the arm of one, the n«ck of another, the Itg of another, etc.

The process of physical degeneration has gone on to such an extent that human beings of later generations are so different from their ancestors of 2 >oo or 3000 years ago, that they might almost pass tor a distinct species. Of late years there has t>een a kind of reawakening of the old feeling, and now a-days the whole world is begin ning to realise the great importance of well-balanced physical development, and to see that mental and moral strength are lessened by a puny, ill developer physique, while th»* vigour of each part conduces to the vigourof the whole. The old ideal of “ a healthy mind in a healthy body is to be ever more fully realised in the coming years, and women as well as men are Incoming alive to the great importance of this ideal to the progress and development of the human race. It wi I lie 0:1 the young wome of to-day, the m rthers <*f the future, that the »esponsihi ity of helping humanity to attain a high degree of moral, mental an I physical power largely rests,and everything that can t>e done to aid them in the development of their highest powers is ever widening the glorious p )ssihilit»es of the race.

Prompted by thoughts of (his kind, a r.umber of Christchurch ladies have

l*en working hard to get a laige Walk-

ing Club formed this winter, to encou rage one of the most valuable of all forms of physical exercise; for hill walking, especially among dwellers on the plains, is credited by the medical profession w ; th being an unrivalled health-preserver, conducing, as it of necessity dors, to deep-breathing, which is tiecoming a recognised panacea of many ills. The lady members of the Club intend to adopt (or their walks a costume, the skut of which will be long enough to Iw quite unobtrusive, but short enough to allow free play to the limbs, and ons which will make; their walking excur>ions as much a pleasure, and as far removed from an arduous task, as possible. The promoters of the Club are very anxious that the public shoi Id unde • stand that they have no thought in their minds of trying to do away with women’s present dress in its proper place. They merely wish girls to see the fallacy of wearing long skirts for purposes where they are so obviously out of place and absurd, and to encourage them to adopt a more sensible form of dress. V. S.