Athletics of To-Day for Women

CHAPTER T\V TnE G ROWTII OF Wo 1EN's ATHLETics IT is not my purpose, in this present volum , to deal with the evolution of women's sport in ancient times, since antiquity has little, if any, influence upon present circumstances and conditions in this connection. America is the pioneer of women's athl tics in modern times. For many years "Track and ~i ld Gymnastics" have be n included in the curricul at girls' schools in th nit d tat s. The gr at point th Americans aim d at and the gr t truth th y cone i ed wa that by making a certain d gr c of proficien y in both book-work an play nee ary for in lu ion in the school or cla s t am ab tter re ult and a high r tandard in both d partm nts of school life w re attained. But whil America was buil ing up a gr at constituency of healthy and ffi ient girl athlel their i ter were tr ated a a joke in oth r countries. Th r at War, howev r, how d wmnan in a n w light, nd aused her to b admitte to sphere of activity un lr amed of prior to I 14. We had learned, out in ranee, to r spect and to admit t our soldierly comra hip those jolly girls who dro the lorri and ambu– lan s wilh a •i ld r ic ap per h d nth ir li k little heads and th ternal igar tt v r- miling lips. In th se y r of ervice th girls wh s rv din the W.A. . ., V.A. ., \\ .P .N.. , and \V.R.A. 1 ., or worl· d on muniti n , 1 arn d tb lov f sp rt, whi h buills up a unding h alth and b , utiful bo i . ranee an Austria sh uld, I think, b r gard d as the pione rs of worn n's athletic port in Europ , since it was in IO