dangers of roller-skating
Fairly soon after the roller-skating rink opened in De Smet, this bit of information appeared in print, and no doubt had more than a few mothers telling their daughters a thing or two:

When roller-skating was first introduced, we looked on it with much favor. We put on skates ourselves, and often accompanied ladies to the hall. They, we and our associates, enjoyed the exercise much. In some respects roller-skating seemed fully equal to skating on ice, in its graceful and complicated movements, and vastly superior in its freedom from the interruptions of snow and rain and wind and cold. We thought it furnished a fine combination of mental relaxation, phusical exercise and social life. We saw in it a cheap and agreeable diversion for the people, free, we supposed, from the temptations which everywhere beset the young.

But Americans overdo many things, in pleasure, work, politics and religion. If the apostolic injunction, "Let your moderation be known unto all men," were one of the Ten Commandments, we should be a nation of breakers of the Decalogue. Roller-skating became "a craze." It was pursued as if it were the purpose of life; every night in the week, several hours at a time, in crowded rinks, with vitilated air and impalpable dust.

That moderately indulged in and duly regulated it would be healthful, and in many ways helpful for those already vigorous, we still believe. But the fruits of the present methods of pursuing the amusement are often evil.

The following, from the Medical Record, written by Julia Townsend Hill, M.D., is worthy of attention:

"Sir: I am very much interested in this subject of roller-skating for girls, especially because I have from thirty to forty girls under my care for physical training and treatment. With the utmost care as to time and amount, I find it unsatisfactory. it seems to bring out any latent predisposition to disease. I have been compelled to forbid those who had the slighest tendency to kidney or heart trouble, in fact, any organic trouble, indulging in the sport. A case of anaemia, the most intractabel one I ever had to deal with, I am sure was caused by skating excessibely." Other physicians give a similar testimony.

All regreations may have their dangers if carried to excess. This new and popular one, like all others, needs to be used more wisely and conscientiously.
- posted by pioneergirl at 11:18 PM