When reference was made in this letter last week to the neurosis in women being due to them producing only girl children the excerpt noted was one of a few short extracts from speeches without context or prefaces. On reading, the full speech of Dr. Towers it is noted that the reference was made to Chinese women only. As Dr, Towers has spent seventeen years working at the Lester Hospital and has had wide experience of Chinese patients she is naturally an authority upon their mentality and. as she says, she would never have made such a statement about non-Chinese Patients.
Another extract is worth taking from this lady's paper and might be noted by all of us who are mothers:
"There 1s no question that the early training' and chvironment of "young. children have avery great erect on fhett "mentality" In later years." The child who has been taught 2sitccontrol ind. self-dletpline. will be able to case ip. to his difculttes in stter life with Betive "courage and' will overcome: them:
A. sad break in the chain of old associations will be effected when Miss Sharp leaves for retirement in England early in June, This lady is perhaps one of our best-known inhabitants and it is over thirty, years singe she first commenced residence in Shanghai, Hen dancing school has Been one of our cultural institutions and the number of pupils who have passed through: her hands must run into thousands, 5
It was for health reasons that Miss Sharp first left England where she had previously received her dancing training according to the Wordsworth system, She came to visit her sister, Mrs, Valentine, and such was the lure of our city that here she stayed, and had it. not been for present, unhappy conditions here she would have remained for some time longer. Her only near relative in this part of the world now is her nephew, Dr. D, J. Valentine, who is in Hongkong: her niece Mrs, C. Forrest, formerly of Shanghai, lett some time ago with hee family to live in Victoria, In England Miss Sharp has three brothers and two sisters so that she has a strong pull towards her native land.
Views on Modern Dancing Miss Sharp has for many years run one of the most, successful dancing, schools in the Far East, and pupils have always done well when they have elected to take up the 'Terpsichorean art asa career. This talented Indy has not much opinion of modern methods of teaching dancing. She admits that they have quick ways to effect and are 'Spectacular but' she believes that grounding is not thorough and modern pupils are not sufficiently instructed in technique, 'Tap_and acrobatic dancing, says! Miss Sharp. are all very well for boys but she believes that they can be definitely harmful to girls, and she does not think that they improve the figure, one's deportment, or that they are' good for girls who ever hope to become successful mothers. Of ballet this lady has little know. ledge she says, but she 1s of the opinion that those who undertake its training should do so. only under guidance of one who knows something of anatomy and the physical effects likely to result. She says she believes that the enlarged limbs and deformed feet which one so often encounters in ballet dancers could be avoided by a correct guidance while the student was In training.
She has definitely no use for jazz, nor for the use of the gramophone musical accompaniment during the dancing lessons, 'Throughout all her years of teaching she has had no other musical accompaniment for her, pupils' lessons than an accomplished pianist.
Doubtless every teacher will have her own views regarding her art, but there can be no doubt that Miss all patrons entertainment of the most attractive kind.
The programme includes the apfrom misguided kindness," pearance of Madame M. Lubimova, well-known in Hankow for her Eeautiful rendering of Russian songs Self Discipline und ballads, and her items will.be Greatly looked forward to. Mile de That "self-discipline" idea perhaps Trouin will appear ina dance num-cannot be too greatly: stressed, and ber arranged by Ballet Master N. S. some of us believe that it Is just the Sokolsky, while a fashion show will Tack of this curb which Tands young be staged, and the Cinderella of the men" and' women during "early evening chosen, A pair of gold maturity in the sorry plights in whicn shoes has been donated, and the they nowadays find themselves. It 1s. lady whom the shoe fits on this highly likely' that if there were more self-discipline encouraged from baby Seeasion will not only wear it but will be proclaimed the evening's Gays there would be less need for warnings and instructions later on. Cinderella and duly presented with It is folly to allow a child's pretty a bouquet and shoulder band of brave ways to inveigle a parent into letting ribbons. him' do as he pleases. When the The lottery offers a fine selection pretty ways have yielded to years, of prizes among which is a silver Sialy traits will surely remain." But when one reviews all the warnings Since, according to Russian cus-and aids which are nowadays 20 tom. the Helens and the Constantins Generously doled out to parents one celebrate their name-day on June 3 Wwould believe that the children' (the date of the Ball), surprise gitts the future are going to grow up well. for some fortunate' Helen and nigh perfect. Well, Time will show! Constantin will be forthcoming.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.