Figure 1.-.

Our mum when she was in the mood used to tell us about when she was a girl in Leeds. (We were always asking her!) She told us that at her schools the girls (but not the boys) used to have "deportment lessons". This involved basically walking across the room with a book balanced on the head.Of course we had to try it at home - and I could never keep the book balanced - though my brother could! The other posture thing with me was, as HBC discusses, verbal admonishments, from both teachers and mum. I've already told you about the school rule about boys not being allowed to have hands in pockets and part of the reason given for that was that it made you "slouch". My mum too didn't like this. I normally had my pockets full of something or another anyway so there was no room for hands! I noticed the HBC page on posture correcting devices. I never remember, however, seeing any posture correcting device being used when I was a boy. The other thing I remember was that she always said that we must wear our satchells properly on our backs - over both shoulders and not hanging down from one as some boys did. She also said that that way we were her "little soldiers" so I was quite pleased to do that. When we did the shopping on Saturday I always wore my satchell on my back and we would take along three or four net bags that my mum had. When we carried these home (and even my little brother had his too) mum always made sure that the bags in the left hand and the right were "balanced" and were not too heavy for us.

Girls' Deportment Lessons

Our mum when she was in the mood used to tell us about when she was a girl in Leeds. (We were always asking her!) She told us that at her schools the girls (but not the boys) used to have "deportment lessons". This involved basically walking across the room with a book balanced on the head.Of course we had to try it at home - and I could never keep the book balanced - though my brother could! I don't think she was trying to pass this on to us for posture - it was just a game but who knows!. She never made me keep trying or anything until I got it right like she said some girls at her school had to. She said that she got it right first time - so we asked her to prove it and she dropped the book straight away and we all had a laugh. I'm only saying that as a lot of the time when I write about my mum I seem to be complaining - but she was a lot of fun too.

Verbal Admonishments

The other posture thing with me was, as HBC discusses, verbal admonishments, from both teachers and mum. I've already told you about the school rule about boys not being allowed to have hands in pockets and part of the reason given for that was that it made you "slouch". My mum too didn't like this. I normally had my pockets full of something or another anyway so there was no room for hands! I did have a habit of rounding my shoulders when I was in a bit of a mood over something - normally if we had to go visiting on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon and so I couldn't play with my friends. Mum always told me to keep my shoulders back then and would gently pull them back - telling me I'd grow up to be a hunchback. I was normally already in a bit of a mood with her as we'd have had an argument about having to dress up and visit people rather than put on my favourite playclothes and get away from my brothers. Then she'd pull out her Ace card - telling me that my Uncle Richard (who I really liked and was a sort of temporary father to me when we were up in Yorkshire - like my Grandfather was to my older brother) always kept his shoulders "square" as he'd been in the Army so I'd make the effort then.

Posture Correcting Devices

I noticed the HBC page on posture correcting devices. I never remember, however, seeing any posture correcting device being used when I was a boy.

School Satchells

The other thing I remember was that she always said that we must wear our satchells properly on our backs - over both shoulders and not hanging down from one as some boys did. She also said that that way we were her "little soldiers" so I was quite pleased to do that. I found that more comfortable anyway. I suppose you could say that,in a way, a properly worn satchell doubles as a form of posture correcting device!. I liked my satchell so much that I still wore it to secondary school even though a lot of the other boys had expensive new briefcases and only joined in the latest fashion in about the third year when I bought a sports bag (Puma) that the school now allowed.

Shopping

When we did the shopping on Saturday I always wore my satchell on my back and we would take along three or four net bags that my mum had. When we carried these home (and even my little brother had his too) mum always made sure that the bags in the left hand and the right were "balanced" and were not too heavy for us. The same with the times I had to take our washing to the launderette - I wanted to carrry the laundary bag (I was trying to show how "tough" I was) but she always insisted that I wheel it down on my little brother's old pushchair. I was probably better of physically doing this - but I used to find it embarrassing if any of my mates saw me as they'd go on about me pushing a "baby" and things.

Swimming

As I have discussed here, I was a keen swimmer as a boy. Swimming wwas part of our PE program. I liked it so much that I participated in competitive swimming. That was how I got to go to Germany one summer. I think swimming was good for me as regards trenghtening the back and helping overall posture and I hope that the schools keep up those lessons.

Leaving School

When I left school and took up an apprentaship one of the first things we were taught was how to lift a heavy weight properly - locking the spine and using the legs to lift rather than the back. I think that should be taught in schools as there's nothing worse than a slipped disc - which can happen at any age.

Modern Concerns

I'm only saying this as there is some renewed concern about children and back problems now. I have a friend who's a dance teacher and she says that the heavy backpacks that children carry to school now are not good for children. When I was at school you could safely leave your books in your desk and just take home what you needed for homework. My little brother's more modern comprehensive school didn't have traditional desks - but they had lockers. Now both classrooms and lockers can be broken into so children as young as 12 and 13n (when they're still developing of course) are carting great heavy loads to and from school every day. It is of some concern to teachers I know. My friend also says that the backpacks should be worn properly on the shoulders and high on the back rather than unbalanced or low-slung - so my mum was right!

Bill