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About The monitor. (Omaha, Neb.) 1915-1928 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 13, 1915)
HOW TO REGAIN MENTAL BAL ANCE The difference between a sane and an insane man is one of balance among the activities. Sanity is a proper adjustment of our activities and feelings to the varying condi tions of life. And this adjustment may get out of order so gradually that no one is conscious of it. The first symptoms of the failure are ob scure, and yet no one can afford to neglect them. One of them is a lack of “attentive control,” as it is called by Dr. G. Wilse Robinson of Kansas City, from whose article in The Medi cal Review of Reviews (New York, September) we quote below. Atten tive control—the power of fixing the attention on one thing and then do ing it, to the exclusion of others— is “the one aim of all true educa tion;” yet its loss is increasing at an alarming rate. We find more and more people who are victims of inde cision, who can not make up their minds. These persons have lost their “will-power”—their ability to control attention and action. If this state of things goes too far, the result will be a form of insanity. As it is, many failures in business are due to it. Dr. Robinson tells us that it may be regained by proper exercise. He says, in substance. “The two oldest and perhaps best known methods are relaxation and rhythmic breathing. Relaxation of the body implies cessation of any voluntary muscular movement. When our attention is intensely concentrat ed, voluntary movements are in hibited. “Rhythmic breathing is another very old and well-known method of developing psychic control. When we give no attention to our breathing we breath rhythmically and with a fairly constant rate. If we desire to change the rate of rhythm, which is normally automatic and involuntary, we must give the subject our undi vided voluntary attention, for just as soon as we neglect to do this we im mediately renew our normal rate of rhythm.” More complicated methods have been suggested for the same purpose by Dr. H. Crichton Miller, an author ity quoted by Dr. Robinson. He dif ferentiates between exercises which aim at holding the attention with a minimum of effort and those which demand effort. The former prevent introspection, while the latter are more educative in their aim. We read: “The scholar who has broken down after overwork, who is capable of controlling and even abusing his attentive powers, does not require a redevelopment of attentive control, but should be prevented from intro spection. For him light literature, games of patience, and jig-saw puz zles are useful. For the society woman who has never concentrated her attention on anything more seri ous than a tango tea or a comedy, exercise requiring more effort of con centration should be advised. “The following methods are given in the order in which they demand concentrated effort, beginning with the easiest: “First. Pointing with the out stretched leg or arm at a given mark Those who coordinate wel 1 will find this exercise easy; those who do no' will find it more difficult than the} anticipate. “Second. Balancing is a very simi lar exercise. This exercise becomes involuntary and decreases in value with practice. A stick balanced on the finger or head is the customary procedure. “Third. Letter-games (word-mak ing) can be made useful and inter esting by introducing the element of speed. “Fourth. Reading a book upside down is a useful exercise, but the time required to read a given num ber of lines should always be deter mined. If the exercise is receiving the attention of the patient, the time will be shortened with practice. “Fifth. Writing with two hands is an exercise of value, and the ob vious improvement with practice will encourage the patient. Writing or drawing with the eyes fixed on a looking-glass in which the paper is reflected is much the same. “Sixth. Describing accurately an object or picture which has been ex amined for a limited space of time levelops the powers of observation and the memory. “Seventh. Detailing a number of articles, say twenty, erposed for a short time is an exercise in which memory counts for more and observa tion less. “Eighth. Counting with the eyes 'ixcd on a given spot, say counting tp to a hundred slowly without mov ing eyes or lips, at the time without allowing a single extraneous thought to ocupy consciousness for a mo ment. “Ninth. Following with a pin the second-hand of a watch is a good ex ercise. “Tenth. This exercise is recom mended by Munsterberg, Muller and others as being of great value. It consists of striking out a given vowel rom a column of a newspaper. The exercise should be carried out with a /iew to three points: first, accuracy; ■second, speed; third, ignorance of contents. Columns of equal length should be given to the patient every time. Speed and accuracy should be noted after each test so that the im provement may be determined. “Vittoz, in his most valuable work, suggests the following five classes of exercises for concentration. First, he symbol of infinity or the figure one; second, the ticking of a metro nome; third, the tactile sense; fourth, affected parts of the body; fifth, ideas. The above exercises must be used intelligently and adapted to the individual patient and his environ nent.” INSIDIOUS DEFAMATION OF UNION CAUSE. “I supposed its most offensive fea ture to be its defamation of the Ne gro. Much as I object to this on grounds both of justice and policy, the fundamental objection lies deep er. It is a covert, but most skillful and insidious defamation of the Union cause and apotheosis of slav ery and rebellion. We of the white race should be first to rise against it, and we do ourselves no credit by leaving it to our colored fellow citi zens to protest.” ALBERT E. PILLSBURY, Ex-Gov. of Massachusetts. The following are some opinions of the play: Dr. Jacques Loeb, the eminent scientist, characterizes its as follows: ‘The play is in my opinion a glorifi cation of homicidal mania with a special grievance against the Negro, t is an insult to this country to cal hat display of scenes of murder an< ts appeal to race hatred ‘The Birtl of a Nation.’ ” FAVOR OPPOSING DIXON’S PHOTO PLAY. (Continued from first page.) white citizens, who will seek to pre vent the showing of “The Birth of a Nation” at the Brandeis theatre. By appealing to the managers and lesees of said theatre to cancel the engagement. By bringing influence to bear upon the board of public welfare, who are empowered with censorship to forbid the play. All other efforts having failed and only as a last resort to employ the best legal talent to be secured and carry the opposition into the courts, for the purpose of which suit we pledge ourselves to contribute the necessary funds. Resolved, Further, that a suitable ordinance be drawn up and present ed to the commissioners for passage which will forbid the giving of any plays or exhibiting any pictures that will stir up racial or religious strife. A motion was unanimously passed that the chairman of the meeting be one of the committee of nine. The following committee was named: The Rev. Messrs. Osborne, Botts, Logan and Wililams, Dr. J. H. Hutten, G. Wade Obee, Silas Rob bins, James G. Jewell and Mrs. J. Alice Stewart. This committee secured the co-op eration of Robert Cowell, T. F. Stur gess, Rev. John Williams, Rabbi Cohn, Mrs. F. H. Cole, Mrs. H. G. Sumney and Victor Rosewater, but engagements prevented Rabbi Cohn and Mr. Rosewater meeting with the committee at the hour designated. Wednesday morning, November 10, an interview was held by a committee of citizens with Mr. Sutphen, local manager of the Brandeis theatre, and Mr. Murphy, a representative of “The Birth of a Nation.” The committee sought to secure the elimination from the second part of the photo drama of two of the most objectionable features, namely: the exposing of the dead body of Gus, one of the victims of the Klu Klux Clan, which scene has been cut out of the film shown in New York, and the “rape” scene, which represents a little white girl being pursued by a repulsive Negro, and who only saves herself from dishonor and de filement by jumping off a clif to her death. This reasonable request of the com mittee was met by a positive and blank refusal from the theatrical representatives. Mrs. F. H. Cole asked if it were not possible in some way to call at tention to the fidelity and exemplary conduct of the Negroes who were the protectors of the white women and children of the south during war times, and who never betrayed their trust, which fact she understood had been either omitted or greatly slight ed in the play. She believed that either in the film or in some other vay this fact ought, in justice, be brought to the attention of the audi ence, and so modifying, at least in 3ome degree, the unfavorable im pression that the scenes portrayed with such dramatic power leaves up on the audience. Mr. Sutphen consented to print such a statement, prepared by the committee, in the regular theatre program. The British government has pro dded a pension of $1,000 to the wife if Samuel Coleridge Taylor, $100 to us mother and $200 to each of his hildren until they reach the age jf 21. CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING RATES—l1^ cents a word for single insertions, 1 cent a word for two or more insertions. No advertisement for lesa than 15c. Cash should ac company advertisement. FOR RENT—HOUSES FURNISHED ROOMS FOR RENT. Modern furnished rooms, 1819 Izard street. Tyler 2519. Nicely furnished rooms with hot and cold water, $1.50 and up per week. Close to car line. Mrs. Hayes, 1826 North 23rd street. W. 5639. FOR SALE—REAL ESTATE $15 down, $10 a little later, then $6 winter and $9 summer will buy 3-room house and two lots for gar den, chickens, etc.; 2 blocks to school, 5 blocks to car. Call 507 Paxton block. Mrs. L. M. Bentley-Webster, first class modern furnished rooms, 1702 N. 26th St. Phone Webster 4769. Nicely furnished rooms for respect able lady; private family; home privi leges with board if desired. Web. 7881. FOR SALE—MISCELLANEOUS. FOR SALE—An eight-room house, strictly modern, 2722 North 30th St. Terms. Webster 3602. If you have anything to dispose of, a Want Ad in The Monitor will sell it. WANTED. Barber Wanted—Good position for the right man. Apply 1918 Cuming. Mason, also carpenter, all around repair man; jobs on hand for each '.o pay down payment or rent on good small home or lot that I have for you. Address at once. Call 507 Paxton block. vvAfsTED—Correspondents and sub scription solicitors for The Monitor in Nebraska cities and towns. OMAHA TRANSFER CO. I ‘•The Only Way” I baggage: | Checked to Destination J i NOW’S THE TIME TO PLANT BULBS k Tulip Hyacinth i Narcissus Crocus Lily | For Winter and Spring Bloom : STEWART SEED STORE 119 North 16th Street • (Opposite Post Office)