POOR UTILE CHILDREN

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 41, 12 November 1918, Page 6

POOR UTILE CHILDREN

Sir,—l am. very glad to find that I have this year aroused some ■ interest in the poor little children who have been trotted out for exhibition) and I thank those who have supported me. I also thank Miss Saunders for the way in which she has taken up the question, though she has missed my point. I did not say anything against the leaching of dancing to little children. The teaching of dancing as part of the training of the, body is decidedly a good thing, hut that does not necessitate the public exhibitions. I had not Miss Saunders in my mind when I wrote; at that time there was an exhibition in progress of four nights, with an extra one added. Miss Saunders refers to the Greeks with whom dancing was thought much of and was taught generally, but we are not told that they made tiny little children dance at night in public. I have no doubt that Miss Saunders and other teachers are doing very good work in physical culture, and that many children will have to thank them in after life tor having improved their bodies by such culture, including dancing. But then teachers will; I hope, see that, while tho improvement of Hie 'little bodies by exercise and dancing is of immense valueto the children, the bringing of them forward to exhibit their dancing in public at night, is very bad for them in every way, and every eftort should be mode to 'discourage such exhibitions. I think they are bad at any time, and entirely unnecessary, and parents should set their faces against them. I quite admit that teachers of dancing do their work of training children s bodies, having a high aim '" vic,v > ilml on, y no l'° they will continue their good work and may come to take my view of the public exhibitions. One doctor has spoken. Why not his name? And no doubt others have similar experiences and would strongly deprecate the appearance of tho littlo ones in public—l am, etc., CHAS. P. I'OWLES. •November 9, 101 S.

Ten per cent, of the entire population of Massachusetts, or 800,000 people of voting age, arc- unable to read or write English.

Receipts of tho Internal Revenue Bureau show that, as the war progresses, Americans are spending less on travel and moro on amusements.