_The Pull._—The body rises erect from the hips and swings backward. The hands should not reach the front of the chest until the body has passed the perpendicular and is sinking back. When the pull is finished, the hands are dropped and suddenly bent toward the wrists. This lifts the oar out of the water, and keeps its lower surface parallel with it; during the stretching forward, the oar is kept parallel with the water, so that it has not much resistance from the air. The muscles brought chiefly into play are the long muscles of the back in the backward swing, and the abdominal muscles in the forward swing. But the muscles of the pelvis, thighs, and legs all have to work, likewise the muscles of the arms, chest, and shoulders. And it is one of the best exercises for developing the lungs and chest, as well as of strengthening the heart. Fatigue will be felt most in the muscles of the legs, hips, and arms, but the exertion is so well distributed that it causes much less fatigue than would otherwise be the case. =Athletic Sports.=—Athletic sports possess three distinct advantages—they are played out-of-doors, and give an incentive to taking the proper amount of exercise; they are all team games, and so develop the social and coöperative spirit; and last, but by no means least, they afford a great deal of amusement and real recreation. Formal and systematic gymnastics are essential for the development of the body and the correction of its defects; out-of-door exercise is excellent, but the solitary walk, climb, swim, or row leaves much to be desired, while in walking especially the mind is free to pursue the same trains of thought which with it was occupied at the desk, and so it fails to be properly refreshing to the mind and body. Whereas in all athletic sports the ego has to be pushed into the background, with all its interests; the day’s work left behind, and the entire attention concentrated on the play. This is a very distinct advantage to the individual. Women at all ages take themselves and life too seriously. This is in all probability due to a defective early education; between the long school hours, home study, housework, and sewing, they had neither time nor opportunity to cultivate a love for play and games, and so the play instinct was not developed, and if not developed in youth, the chances are that it never will be. In middle and advanced age, when the stress and storm are at their height, nothing is so sure a restorative to overtaxed brains and overwrought nerves as games, sports, and a love of fun. As a result of our unnatural mode of life in youth, it has come to pass that American women especially have been defrauded out of their birthright of the love of games and sports. Athletic games and sports are as essential to a scheme of education as are reading, writing, and arithmetic.