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LESSON FOR THE FARM HOME 



L. H. Bailey, Director 

 Course for the Farm Home, Martha Van Rensselaer, Supervisor 



TTFTAPA M V 

 VOL. II. No. 25 ^TViDPt)' SANITATION SERIES No. I 



Ul_. 1 UolSK I, 1912 



SAVING STRENGTH 



Emily M. Bishop and Martha Van Rensselaer 



A woman once said, " I have so much to do I don't know what to do 

 first; so I think I will take my nap and get so much off my mind." She 

 was, unconsciously, a good philosopher, for the nap enabled her to get 

 through her duties without worry and fatigue, actually more tiring than 

 work itself. 



Our observation of most women indicates that they want not less to do, 

 but more health and strength with which to labor. The average woman 

 wastes nervous energy over unaccomplished work. The practice of exer- 

 cises described in this bulletin may help women to work with increasingly 

 good results yet with less fatigue. 



To suggest to those who in their daily occupations are usually " on the go," 

 not only from sunrise to sunset but for several hours more, that physical 

 culture would be a good thing for them, seems at first impression nothing 

 less than an absurdity. One can almost hear the answer that such a sug- 

 gestion would call forth from many a busy, energetic woman, as well as 

 from many a tired, overworked woman: " Exercise! Physical culture! 

 What nonsense! I have exercise in my work." Or, "I think I could 

 give these physical culture teachers a few lessons myself. Let them get 

 the meals for my large family, do my washing and ironing, take care of my 

 house, tend my dairy, feed my chickens, and they would not need any 

 fancy exercises! ' : Or the weary woman sighs: " What I want is a chance 

 to rest, to get strong again. Don't talk to me about more exercise." Such 

 reasoning seems sound. It would be essentially true if physical culture 

 meant an increase of the same kind of exercise that is necessary in the 

 performance of one's daily work. But the physical culture herein suggested 

 means something very different. The farmer and the wife often need some 

 kind of physical exercise that will tend to correct the physical faults of 



Published semi-monthly throughout the year by the New York State College of Agriculture at 

 Cornell University. Entered as second-class matter October 13, 191 1, at the post office at Ithaca, 

 N. Y., under the Act of Congress of July 16, 1894. 



[1309] 



