CURRENT TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 211, 15 December 1910, Page 4

CURRENT TOPICS.

[WALTZING INTO MATRIMONY. One of the quaintest Americanisms that have strayed into the cable news without much excuse lately is that which stated that two men had contested in a waltzing competition for the "hand" of a woman. Presumably the man who waltzed tne best or the longest, didn't fall over his feet, or tear his partner's train, would be the best husband. If it could be proved that he "reversed" superbly, there can be no doubt in the mind of any thinker tha/t he could earn a good living as a clerk, or could dig potatoes, run a newspaper, or navigate the ocean. The girl who demanded this test for her husband showed' by her decision that she would make a iline mother for future citizens of the United States, that she could cook corn cakes to perfection, and was adept at polishing floors and making garments. .Many States have lately been seriously proposing examinations of candidates for matrimony in order that the I future race may benefit. It might be suggested that no young man be entitled to marry unless he can run 100 yards in nine second®, whistle at least two comic | songs, smoke a cigarette in three puffs, ! and jump off a- street-car backwards. This would prove that he would be a kind husband and a good father, that he would, never go to gaol, that he would put money in the bank and be a good, healthy, upright, God-fearing' citizen. Registrars of marriages and those others who are entitled to unite contracting parties might be given a string of questions that would settle the social problems of the future. If'the bride and bridegroom-elect could swear that they liked lollies, pin-pointed boots, tumed-up trousers, "peek-a-boo" blouses, clocked socks, vaudeville shows and steam roundabouts, there is no doubt the world would be much brighter and better, and divorce suits would' go out of fashion. In the meantime the American cable man should be presented with a large purse of dollars for spreading an item of such tremendous and world-wide importance. It proves that an ability to climb trees or stand on one's head are essential qualifications for cable men.

YOUNG BLOOD.

At university capping ceremonies, the proceedings are generally emphasised by the horseplay of students. Grave and reverend persons in the habit of solemnly exhorting young people to be. as good as themselves ahvays get offended at the ebullition of youthful exuberance, and there have been occasions on which the Chief Justice and other notables have been very angry indeed at being vociferously referred to as "Bob," or being told ini the clever way students have to "geit yer 'air cut." But ithere is much precedent for .the ill-behaviour of New Zealand students. Mr. Asquibh, British Premier, lately delivered a rectorial address *i Aberdeen University. The students were uproarious, and referred to ihim in language of grotesque familiarity. The leader of the nation became annoyed, and told the students he wouldn't continue hi 9 address. They t replied that they didn't want him to. After the .unheard address, the students planned to drag Mr. AsquitSi! .in a landau from the college to his temporary place of residence. The landau became filled with a crowd of yelling students. The "town" bombarded the students with "vegetables. The students —Britain's coming legislators, doctors, lawyers, engineers, etc. —retaliated by throwing the lamps, cushions, splashboards, and anything movable at , the crowd. The crowd began to wreck the carriage, but the studeaits turned it on its wheels again and proceeded. One wheel came off, and the students entrenched. under :the hood. The crowd tore the roof off and pelted the entrenched. Mr. Asquith, with otihier gentlemen, arrived on the scene. The Prime Minister was cordially invited to enter tine smashed vehicle. He prefered a motor car. The cheerful young bloods were evidently offended with the carriage, and rushed it at breakneck speed to the harbor and pitched it in. Tlwrn they fought their way back through showers of vegetables and returned to their peaceful studies, very pleased with tiheir interview with the greatest man in Britain.

ATHLETICS AND EDUCATION. All sane educationists agree that it is impossible to have a healthy miml without a correspondingly healthy body. Tihc mind obtains its steam from the body, and although there are cases in which frailty of body has been allied to intense mental application, in the majority of these cases such minds are not normal or well balanced. .Mr. J. P. Firth, headmaster ofc the Wellington College, speaking on the alliance of sport and learning the other day, said: "Nearly all our leading boys in athletic exercises and . games have been among our very best workers, and our very best boys in every way." This is from a man who has devoted all his working life to the training of boys, and who is 'himself a most notable example of physical fitness allied to mental alertness. There is frequent complaint that the young New Zealander is too fond of "sport " neglecting his mind in its pursuit, but Mr. Firth mentioned that he 'knew of no secondary school in New Zealand where the pursuit of sport was put on the same level as the supremely important object of the development of mind and character. In fact, the schoolmaster showed that, although mind i and character forming was the ideal I work of the school, physical exercise was of tremendous importance in forming the i "full man." The judicious blend of at<hi letics arid mental training is now worldwide in its range, and the results arc everywhere apparent. The improvement of the physical equipment of men and women toas given the world a larger proportion of bright minds. The most notable social development of the past two decades is that which has admitted woman into athletic co-partnership with man. It is no longer immodest for a woman to be physically strong and properly developed; fainting and hysterics have gone out of fashion. A great physician said the other day that women do not scream nowadays]! and golf, Indian clubs, dumbells and swimming have taken .the place of crewel work, the sewing of' texts on book-markers, and the gentle art of antimacassar building. Not bo very long ago it was considered almost improper for a girl to be in normal health. The old-fashioned novelist used to talk of the "vulgar red" in the cheeks of the dairymaid. It is illogical to hold that athletics can dominate a community to the exclusion, of mental enterprise and culture. It is as necessary for the people to earn their living while they are in robust health as it was for them to proceed when physical health was not a duty and unnecessary and useless "accomplishments" were.