Jim Kershner’s This Day in History

From our archives, 50 years ago

The women of Spokane were given candid advice at a Spokane Club lecture in 1960: “Think of yourselves as a picture, as complete from the top of your head to the tip of your toe.”

Kathleen Peck, “Seattle’s First Lady of Charm,” gave the talk, titled, “It’s Fun to be Charming.”

She told Spokane’s womanhood, “Don’t be too critical of others – take stock of yourself instead. Build yourself up by constantly changing your hair style, by checking points of grooming.”

She said that she considered health to be the most basic aspect of charm. She then demonstrated her daily “health program” routine, which consisted of “facial contortions, eye rolling and shoulder rotating.”

She put special emphasis on posture, advising women to avoid walking in a “swayback” manner with “wide-angle knees.”

Then she imparted her secret for graceful walking and ladylike sitting: “Keeping the thighs together.”

Also on this date

(From the Associated Press)

1865: Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee surrendered his army to Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House in Virginia. … 1939: Singer Marian Anderson performed a concert at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., after she was denied the use of Constitution Hall by the Daughters of the American Revolution.