MISS FREIDA SHAW'S LECTURES AT THE HUTT.

Hutt News, Volume 2, Issue 39, 6 March 1930, Page 2

MISS FREIDA SHAW'S LECTURES AT THE HUTT.

Miss Freida Shaw recently gave two fascinating lectures at the Hutt. The leeutres were held in St. Jenies's School-room, the subject of the afternoon lecture being "General Health; Lecture of Special Interest .to Women." while the evening subject Avas ''Getting Fit, and Keeping Fit." Those present found these lectures afbsorbingly interesting, but one could not help .deploring that the attendances at both lectures were so meagre. Mr. Trevor Fisher's charming playing, both before the evening lecture, and for the exercises, added greatly to the charm of the .evening.. Miss Shaw's lectures'were simple and convincing. She deplored the low. stand ard of health, of the present day, and said that much of ■ the iji-health attributed ..to our ancestors was out own..; fault, and that we should not tanvely; "submit to it, tout do soniething, and do that something consistently, not spasmodically. The lecturer then said that sound physical health was necessary for real mental soundness, and that the person who is in a constant state' of self^ity is not well; for perfectly heaitihy people do not pity themselves, for mo^jid thoughts are pushed away* by abounding health. Miss ; ■Shaw'als> deplored .the fact .that .many people are a«tuaH^'proud of their ailments, but said that (humanity should not be proud, "foist ashamed, of /their ills/ for most of them can be helped. She even went so far as -to say that a person of abounding health would never be crushed by sorrow, for iheir abounding vitality would so assert itself jtihat they could .not long remain under a cloud. But, said tihe;lecturer, ' 'twere is no royal road to health, for there is no royal road to anything. It has to foe worked for.*' Miss Shaw stressed, the necessity foT training children, for in. them we ka've absolutely new material , free from the injurious habits that the grown up. has contracted. She then referred, briefly to diet, the need for rigM combination of foods, etc. Then next, was an interesting talk of Telaxa■fcion —fiat much, discussed subject. But one wonders how many of us, in tflieee

days of stress, really practise it! Miss

•Shaw advocates, at least ten minutes daily, of complete relaxation —flat on the floor, and, then spoke of the devitalising effect of late ; nights, with the accompanying sleep-starvation,. and suggested that at least quarter of an evening's entertainment might., with, advantage, be cut out. Cold batihs (for those who ,can take them), fresh aiT, sun, and the drinking of .plenty of cold watei;. were advocated, "And then," said the-lecturer, "get a real interest in life, something you must do, every day, and iio it so hard, .that you forget

all aibout yourself!''

She then, ex-

plained that the object of physical culture for women.; was not to develop big muscles, but to produce elasticity and grace, fot the human animal is the least graceful of ,all the animals, and the movements of a &uman being so frequently lacked the grace and ease of movement of the lower animals. Miss Shaw says the physical culture exercises are never strenuoiis and; neveT

jerky.

The foregoing facts were then demonstrated by Miss Shaw's pupils, firstly, in some -fascinating Grecian exercises. This display - was followed iby a ' Jui Jitsu -performance by ' Mdss Marion Todd and Miss Barbara Phear, -but so lig-iitening-like were the movements that it was very difficult for the uninitiated 'eye to gain the. least idea of "how i%. was done!" Tihen the audience was entranced at a display (by Miss Todd), of that feline grace which so often anelts us in our- own domestic animals! She depicted the way in which pussy (who has had a nice long doze by the fire), comes to life again. It was indeed a revelation. ..

In concluding the evening, Miss Sh.aw said that if sufficient inducement offers, she and iher assistants will form weekly classes at Lower Hutt.