THE CHINA MAIL, APRIL 27, 1938.
Senoritas Freed By Sports
Latin American Girls' Part In The Panama Olympics Seen As Step To Equality
not Interest in and participation in tempt to swim hazardous, if athletic sports probably have been impossible. In Havana as late as wear cir- the greatest aid in the emancipa-1926 women began to tion of Latin American women from cumspect bathing suits, but they the cloistered lite imposed upon were not permitted to use the dir- them for generations by customsting boards or piers at the exclusive They wore transplanted from Spain.
swimming beaches. long capes over their bathing suits, "In South America," Professor dropped them at the edge of the Edward Alsworth Ross wrote in water and hurried into the shelter 1915, "so heavy is the pressure of of the sea. conventionality that ladies take no exercise, follow no sports, and get the air only in a drive or promenade about the plaza in the evening.”
Now Latin-American women ap- pear nonchalantly in the slightest of the latest two-piece bathing suits.
MORE PERSONAL FREEDOM
Chilean To-day Anita Lizana, a girl reared in those traditions, has
tennis Participation in sports has given won the women's national championship of the United States, the senorita more personal freedom and 250 girls representing Mexico, and has had an equally good effect El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, on her brothers. In the era of Cuba, Venezuela, Colombia, Puerto Mother Hubbard" bathing, a wo- Rico, Jamaica and Panama took part man rarely appeared on the streets in the fourth Olympic Games of without a chaperon. If she did she swiftly with eyes Central America and the Caribbean, had to walk
straight ahead. Any appearance of which recently closed in Panama.
sauntering or stopping before. à
ATHLETIC FIELD BROAD
EDWARDIAN: MODE- Re pretty Condor model is in natu is a swing back to the mutton sleeves.
shop window was certain to bring fed approval. One of the astonish-
of cherries, this
eil chin strap that and
"There is no doubt about it," the
a "masher" to her side. Even thening things to people familiar with Panama-American commentator con- Tennis, golf, swimming and basshe could not walk swiftly enough Eatin-American customs and taboos cluded, "the Latin-American woman ketball were the first games taken to avoid hearing remarks about her up by Latin-American women, but possession or lack of beauty and of two decades past was the large is on the march and her goal is the Olympic Games have broadened physical attractions. Buenos Aires, attendance of women at the games Lemancipation.”
the scope of their activities until Latin America's largest and most they include track and field events,modern city, tried to correct this fencing, volley ball and almost every by providing a fine of 50 pesos for sport of the men except weight lift-mashers," but sports have been ing, boxing and wrestling. Influ-more effective than laws. ences behind this change are the
motion pictures of athletic contests Now the attitude of the men has among wonzen, the examples of changed and unchaperoned women American and British women resi-are not often subjected to embar- dent in Latin America and the in-rassing remarks, intended to be creasing number of Latin-American overheard, nor to unwelcome atten- girls attending schools in the Unit-tions. This emancipation of the ed States.
senoritas has resulted in a healthier and clearer point of view generally. Formerly
of the lower classes had no choice of occupation, except domestic service, and any kind of work for upper-class wo- men, except teaching, was taboo.
to
NEW BATHING ATTIRE
Latin-American women used bathe in "Mother Hubbards" that came to their feet, making any at-
Personal
Jottings
(Continued from Page 2)
women
SPORTSMANSHIP SHOWN
In the competitive sports like basketball the senoritas in the Olympics at Panama have shown pluck, sportsmanship and persever- ance. That the senoritas are "good
- sports" is indicated by the comment of "Eduardo” in the Panama Ameri- can on a basketball game betwer A distinguished passenger who is the teams of El Salvador and Cosu making a round trip in the 8.S. Rica:
Patroclüs, is Admiral A. Craig Wal
ler, retired, who served during the "If grandma-any grandma-had Great War as commander of H.M.S. been at the Olympic Stadium on Albemerle and Barhan in the battle Monday night she would have been of Jutland, and later as commander impressed by the fact that times of H. M. S. Renown. He is ac-and customs have changed very companied by Mrs: Waller.
*
much since she was a girl This conclusion would have been forced on her after seeing the way in which Mr. C. A. Momber, director and ten pretty little Central Americans secretary of Messrs. The New En- shoved and jostled and pushed one gineering and Shipbuilding Works, another around in a basketball Shanghai, is returning to Shanghai game to see whether El Salvador in the s.s. Patroclus after long leave could beat Costa Rica. They could
and did to the tune of 22 to 15′′ spent in England.
Grandmothers were at the Olym
Miss D. Capell of Messrs. The pic Stadium that night and the Asiatic Petroleum Company, Ltd., way they cheered and applanded will shortly be going Home on leave the players indicated their unquali-
PRINTS
ARE DIFFERENT
THIS SUMMER
When you look at what seems a polka dot and discover it's really an elephant, chicken, puppy or penguin, you'll know you have a print that is truly Summer, - 1938! And when you choose florals in colours that Aspeak Chinese, you will they're new and
DISTINCTION
PRINTS
Your Summer print will be un like any other you have ever had. Brighter, gayer, more original in colour and design.
LE BEAU
King's Theatre Building D'Aguilar Street