This weekend came to many conclusions, among them were: 1. To now announce the formal grouping of the New Body League. The time is ripe to do this, we must wait no longer. Shall call in a meeting of a number of people and make this announcement.
Several months ago, I had called in a group of people among which were a number of outsiders, I had thought that maybe these people due to their wide experiences etc. could help, but I soon saw that what I really wanted to do, they did not understand so dropped the matter. Found that no outsider could help, but that the foundation group must be made up of people who came to this work with no other thought but that it could help them.
I will make an outline of what I want to do.
We stumbled on the Name situation. I gave the movement the tentative title New Body League. Many suggestions were made, but none were better. Saturday I felt this movement should carry my name. – This way I felt it could be protected against commercialism, exploitation or any other danger, also a name gives the matter a closeness that a general name cannot do.
Who was the founder of the GMEA? Who of so many movements? It does sound immodest to want your own name, but heavens I don’t even feel it is me that is doing all this, I am only an instrument, but I do want to control this movement, because I have been called as to sincerity and honesty in my belief in this work.
There are many people identified by names. We are inquisitive as to what these people did, they are an inspiration they are human. There’s the Mensendieck system of motion in Germany, did we say “Do you do Gymnastics?” No, we said “Do you Mensendieck?” There is the Dr. Allanson White Foundation, which gives you a direct personal touch. Y.M.C.A can embrace many people, cover up many things. Not a personal touch. At any rate I shall bring up the matter
We went in the afternoon to Miss Souvarisce’s [sp?] home, she and her brother called for us. I stopped at the school, got some material, and then we went on – it was a lovely day. Her father, a man who found his place in life, a painter who paints portraits on commissions, and paints landscapes and compositions for his pleasure and that of his family that are not for sale. Fine feeling for father – build up a cellar that lives and breathes, that is his world. Tool corner looks like a surgeon’s chest, everything in its place.
Sweet Mother, lovely brothers, little sister. Had fine supper, ate like a pig, behaved like one, was immediately at home. Little Dona, always at my side. Later did some sewing on my scarfs for X-mas. Dona, Hugo and Nuta [sp?] helped, so that now we will have to call it the Anne Rudolph Industrial Aide Inc. What a Title. Mrs. Souvarisce always holds her Hand to her back, has constant pain, told me she has seen many physicians was even operated for gall bladder, physicians believing that this ailment had influenced spine. After operations pain came back – Had physician order surgical corset for her which was so awful that the pain was impossible to stand, her son Hugo made her take it off. Saying that if the pain increased when putting it on, then it was better to go without. When the Dr. was told about this, he said he couldn’t understand, that she was going through a change of life. She has had these pains continually for 9 years. That to me is too much. I cannot accept this point of view. Doctors say the spine is not decreased but…
Anne Rudolph 