“Fans are bight red, the music the minuet”
Acadia Seminary offered classes in “physical culture” and elocution following the popular Delsarte method which emphasized physical expressions of emotion in connection with speech. Students studied and practised exercises designed to develop strength and co-ordination as well as the expression of emotions. Typically, poetry or music would accompany the drills and exhibitions, often drawn from classical themes. Preparation for the exhibitions demanded physical conditioning and flexibility as well as the ability to hold an often uncomfortable pose for a long time. Although not an active sport in the sense of football or hockey, physical culture demanded strength and skill; it was also physical activity considered suitable for young women during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
Photographer unknown. 1901. ECW APC 490.
