An established principle of biology is that a prolonged modification of function results in a change of structure. A man with a right arm only proportionate in size and strength to the remainder of his body soon experiences a marked development in the size and strength of his arm if he "turns" blacksmith. A pedestrian's legs are apt to be disproportionately long. A glass blower's lungs are invariably well developed. It is quite generally believed that rowing and boxing lengthen the arms, that skating affects the feet similarly, while swimming broadens them, and that heavy lifting in youth shortens the legs and widens the feet. In the case of horses, it has been observed that, if a horse is required to do heavy draft work, his bones become much heavier and present more prominent ridges for the attachment of his stronger muscles. On the other hand, if the muscles of any portion of the body remain idle for a long period, owing to injury such as a sprain or a broken bone, they diminish in size, strength and ability to respond with speed and accuracy. Reugger says the thin legs and thick arms of the Payaguas Indians are due to the fact that for generations they lived almost wholly in caves where the arms did most of the work while the lower extremities were motionless. D. Forbes believes that the long bodies, large chests and short arms and legs of the Aymaras are due to living for generations at great elevations where the atmosphere is rare. Not only is the size and strength of the human body as a whole and of its separate organs respectively influenced by function, but G. Stanley Hall, Gulick, and Lane agree that the posture and general attitude are similarly influenced. It seems quite clear that the muscles, ligaments and bones tend to assume that position to which they become habituated during exercise and work. The coalheaver develops the muscles of his back sufficiently that, so far as strength is concerned, we should expect him to stand erectly; but he gradually becomes. stooped as he labors from day to day and from year to year in this position. For similar reasons the cobbler becomes

stooped. The athletic trainer or physical director is acting in light of this fact, as well as in the interests of health and efficiency generally, when he "coaches" his team, or class, to assume a certain form or attitude in all practice exercises.

The leaders of evolutionary thought in the fields of biology and heredity from Darwin down agree, as do such authorities in the field of physical education as Spencer, Demeny, Burnham, Sargent, Gulick and others, that man as he is today is a resultant in bodily stature, carriage, size, strength and potential powers generally of the formative influences of climate, occupation, nurture, habits of living, struggle, disease and general surroundings operating during unnumbered years of succeeding ages. The conditions under which we live at present are as effective for improvement or injury as those have been in which the race has been subject throughout the past.

Movement, exercise, work in war, chase or what not have contributed a major element in human experience. "Even before the savage stage was reached," writes Gulick, "survival depended upon. neuro-muscular exercise." That the human organism has been subjected to and is still adapted to considerable muscular exercise, continues Gulick, is shown to a biologist in the proportion of the muscular system, in that the lungs and heart indicate more capacity than is demanded by an exclusive or a large sedentary life and in that the nervous system was designed predominantly for the initiation and control of muscular movements.

Sargent believes that unless progress is to stop, indeed atrophy to set in, we must preserve the same fundamental movements and exercises in the race's experience as have brought man to his present state of efficiency and supremacy in the animal kingdom. The human organism's health and efficiency depend on a balanced co-operation of its parts, on preserving the general balance in the activities of the nutritive, neural and muscular tissues to which it has become adjusted. Hence from the evolutionist's standpoint, the necessity for muscular ex

ercise has not only been constant and predominant throughout the life of the race, but it is demanded yet today, if we would retain our acquired health, strength and power under the conditions imposed upon us by modern civilization.

If the demands of the evolutionary point of view are met in these days of extreme differentiation and division of labor and in this age of machinery and of multiplied labor and time saving devices, it will be by consciously planning to direct the process through the schools and other appropriate agencies, for civilization is rapidly taking away those natural demands whereby physical exercise has been compelled. The change in this respect in civilized countries since the invention of steam has exceeded the changes that took place in thousands of years previous. Gulick has

The

shown that in the United States the proportion of steam power to manual labor is represented by a steam engine of eleven and one-half horsepower to every male adult inhabitant, and that the bulk of heavy work is done by machinery rather than by human muscles. more civilized the community, the more rapid is muscular work decreasing, for the management of machinery demands not muscular force but muscular skill and intelligence. The constant labor and exercise of those who follow building and agricultural pursuits yet continues, although greatly simplified and relieved of much of its drudgery by machinery; but those who labor indoors, as bank clerks, bookkeepers, operators of machines, etc., have altogether too little exercise and physical labor. For all classes, the telegraph, telephone, newspaper and all other devices for rapid communication are factors which multiply the amount of business that may be transacted and yet keep the amount of physical exertion required reduced to the minimum.

The increased schooling to which the race is gradually subjecting itself renders the amount of exercise taken proportionately less. In 1840 but 11 per cent. of the population of the United States was in schools, while in 1890, 23

per cent. was enrolled in the schools. During this time the length of the school year has more than doubled. This not only lessens exercise but increases confinement and attention to psychic things. Hall's "Adolescence" quotes Hertel as saying that so much schooling impairs nutrition and arrests growth, it starts neurotic habits and checks the due development of the highest powers which unfold last.

In

In

The increased urbanization is likewise tending to operate against the race's continued growth in physical perfection. 1790, 4 per cent. of the population of the United States lived in cities and villages. Despite the immense rural districts occupied since then, the census of 1900 shows that but 59.8 per cent. of the population now lives in the country districts. some localities the conditions are much worse than this: Rhode Island has but 5 per cent. of her population living in rural districts; Massachusetts, but 8.5 per cent.; Connecticut, 25.1; New York, 27.1; New Jersey, 29.4. Rousseau and many prominent statisticians and sociologists since have observed that an inferior stock of people is produced in the cities, indeed that the city stock must be rejuvenated every third or fourth generation by the country folk.

These and many other conditions prevailing in modern civilization are tending rapidly to change "the balance between. neural and muscular expenditure" in the human body. Muscular exercise requires energy of both muscle and nerves; but intellectual and emotional activity requires little or no muscular effort, and we know that emotional activity is very exhausting. Unless this tendency is checked by sufficient counteracting influences, a new balance is certain to be established in the total bodily activity, for the natural environment which has been making for untold ages for the present shape and function of the human body is no more. No longer do the normal requirements of daily life in general impose sufficient muscular activity to keep the organism in that condition of vigor essential to the best health. It would seem, therefore, that conscious at

tention to the matter of our environment in the way of providing for regular, systematic exercise daily in the interests of health and vigor has become necessary.

This argument must not be interpreted to be a wail against the increased comforts of modern life as such, for these increased comforts mean increased human stature and weight, if we do not permit them to eliminate other hygienic necessities. Hall holds that this is proven by a comparison of the children produced by the poor factory population with the children of parents in general. Bowditch, in his studies of Boston school children, concluded that the superior size of American children was partly due to the greater comforts they enjoyed. Roberts of England found the better classes averaging two inches taller than the laborers. His detailed comparison of 7,000 boys from the best naval, military and other schools with boys from the artisan class showed the artisan class to be inferior in height, weight and chest girth. His results at the ages of 10 and 18 may

be taken as typical. At 10 the non-artisan class averaged 53 inches in height, 67 pounds in weight and 27.5 inches in chest girth, while the artisan class averaged 50.5 inches in height, a little less than the non-artisan in weight and 24.5 inches in chest girth. At 18, the nonartisans exceeded the artisans 2.5 inches in height, 24 pounds in weight and 5 inches in chest girth. The studies in England by the anthropometric committee showed that the boys of the better classes at 10 years of age were 3.31 inches taller and 10.64 pounds heavier than the boys in the industrial schools. At 14 they were 6.65 inches taller and 21.85 pounds heavier. In Leipzig, the children paying an 18-mark school fee are superior in height to those paying only 9 marks, and the boys in the gymnasium exceed those in the Real and Burger schools for a similar reason. Investigations in Russia, Stockholm and Turin find the same differences resulting from similar causes.

(To be continued.)

THE BLEEDING HEART.

In a little cottage on a hill there lived a man, a woman and a tiny baby. Such a wee baby; it did not have any hair or teeth, and it could not walk or talk. It could not do anything but cry, kick and drink milk. One morning the father of this little baby found that the mother had gone away to live with the angels and just he and the baby were left. Soon afterwards he left the little baby and went to live with the mother and there the little baby with nobody to

help it.

Now, down at the foot of this hill there lived an old woman all alone. All day long she turned her wheel and her spindle hummed, for she was a flax spinner. And as she spun, she thought of the

little baby with nobody to care for it, and her heart ached. So she said: "This very night I am going to see the child." The people saw the old woman come out of her house, close the door, go out of her gate and up the road, and they said: "Why, where can the flax spinner be going? She never goes away." But the old flax spinner kept it in her heart where she was going and what she was going to do. She walked on until she came to the little house in which the baby lived. She went in and wrapped the baby in a shawl, took it to her home and gave the little girl the name of Olga.

Now, the old flax spinner was good to Olga and she grew to be a tall, beautiful girl, and did not know that she had

no father, mother, sister nor brother; the old flax spinner having taken the place of these. Olga had a loving heart as well as a beautiful face. She spread the linen on the grass to bleach and she found the wild fruit in the forest and brought it to the house, and she brought the water from the spring, and was thus a help to the old flax spinner. One day the prince of a castle came riding by. A long white plume waved from his hat and from his shoulder there hung a shining silver bugle and he sat very straight on his great black horse. When he saw Olga by the spring he asked for a drink of water. There was no cup with which to dip it and she stooped and caught the sparkling water in her hands. and held it up for the prince to drink. So beautifully and gracefully was it done that the prince, bearing his head, asked her name and where she lived.

The next day a messenger came to the hut of the old flax spinner and told her that he came from the castle, that for seven days and nights all the grand ladies and gentlemen of the country were to be entertained there, and that the prince would like to have Olga come with them. The old flax spinner bowed low, saying that Olga would be there. After the courier had gone Olga said: "Why did you make such a promise? You know full well this gown of tow is all I own. Would you have me stand in the castle in this garb?" The old dame said: "Have done, my child, have done. You shall have a beautiful gown. Years have I toiled to give it thee. I have loved you as my daughter." Then the old flax spinner went into an inner room and pricked herself with her spindle until at large drop of her heart's red blood fell into her hand. She blew upon it and rolled it until it turned into something that looked like a tiny shriveled seed. Then she strung it on a strand with seventy times seven others.

When the night of the ball rolled around Olga combed out her long golden. hair and into it twined a wreath of water lilies. Then she stood before the old dame and to her sorrow and shame there was no beautiful dress in waiting, only

this strand of strange beads. The old dame said: "Do as I tell you and all will be well. When you reach the castle gate clasp a bead in your hand and say:

'For love's sweet sake in my hour of need, Blossom and deck me, little seed.'

Do not forget the words. It is only 'for love's sweet sake' the beads will give up their treasures."

Olga started on her way, and when she came to the castle gate she shook a bead in her hand and said:

"For love's sweet sake in my hour of -need,

Blossom and deck me, little seed."

There was a little puff, a sweet perfume, Olga looked and she wore a dress that seemed to be made from the rose petals, it was so airy and pink. When she went into the castle everybody looked not at her gown, but at her sweet face.

The next night she went to the castle gate again wearing her gown of tow. Again she took a bead in her hand and repeated the words the old dame had taught her. This time it seemed as if the yellow of the daffodils had been made. into a dress for her and in her hair there gleamed a hundred tiny stars. That night the prince said so many nice things about her that her head was turned. tossed it proudly and forgot that she was Olga, the flax spinner's maiden.

She

The next day frowningly she carried the water from the spring, frowningly she gathered the wild fruit and frowningly she spread the linen on the grass to bleach. The old flax spinner's hands trembled as she spun when she saw the frowns. She had given of her heart's best blood to buy happiness for Olga, and she knew full well that there can be no happiness where frowns abide. That night Olga stopped outside of the castle. She had forgotten the charm. She grasped the strand of beads and cried: "Deck me at once; give me a dress more beautiful than I have ever had. I hate the flax spinner, I hate the old hut; I want to be the princess of the castle." The moon went under a cloud and the wind began to blow and Olga was afraid.

2-E. J.