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Thin rubber soles on plimsolls and other shoes are waterproof but useless as
a protection against rain as their thinness allows the upper of the shoe to get wet.
They have usually the advantage of pliability though some rubbers are noticeably
heavy and are not pliable. They may or may not allow a good deal of jarring,
according to their thickness. Being mostly used for exercise they tend to be
blamed for overheating the feet but there is no proof that they actually do this more
than other types of soles. Many rubbers, however, smell very badly once worn.
Some thin rubber-soled and canvas-uppered shoes are not well shaped : this must
be looked to, especially in plimsolls.
Certain composition soles are much cheaper than leather and are solid and
waterproof but tend to be heavy and inflexible and unsuitable for young children.
The important things are flexibility and lightness, with due regard to protection
against rain in shoes used for certain purposes, and, in others, protection
against hard and rough surfaces.
Supports.—Avoid all shoes of proprietary make that have anything to stiffen
the arch of the shoe between the heel and fore part, either as a built-in support or
as a modification of the normal shape of heel. These things act as splints and are
a hindrance to the functional development of children's feet.
Welts.—In welted shoes and sandals see that the uppers are built up (as often
they are not) to allow for the thickness of the foot like an ordinary shoe, otherwise
the sole tends to get warped when the foot goes in. Examine the outline of the
upper proper to see that it is correctly shaped and avoid too wide welts that would
keep the feet apart and at an angle to each other which is an incorrect way of
walking.
Heels.—As a result of wearing heels for centuries, the European foot has become
modified in certain characteristics and the carriage of the body has come to correspond.
To avoid disturbance in later life, it is therefore well to train the feet to the
use of a heel from the time the child is taking its first steps. The heel should be
very gradually increased during the years of childhood by one thickness of leather
at a time. The heel must remain squat and square with the shoe throughout.
Abrupt changes must not be allowed in adolescence.
Fit of the Heel.—The body weight must be poised on the heel plumb in line with
the leg to avoid" going over the ankle."Walking barefoot the heel steadies itself
on the ground. Using shoes the heel of the shoe should grip the foot so that in
effect the two are one and sideways wobbling within the shoe cannot take place.
Some children have small heels. If a shoe can't be got with a correctly fitting
forepart that also grips tidily at the heel, the grip can be improved by having suede
or leather linings sewn into the hinder part of the upper or, in older children, sticking
in the rubber heelgrips made for the purpose. Here again a lace fastened shoe helps
the grip.
How Children Walk.—Children walk at first on a very broad base with their
legs well apart and the feet pointing directly forwards. Walking barefoot the big