Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1856-05-08
FoIm Life Illustrated.
Good Advice for Girls

FoIm Life Illustrated.
Good Advice for Girls.
Mr.. Weaver's new work, "Aims and Aids
Tor Girls and Young Women" will be found
not less valuable than his former productions
As the publishers Of the work, we prefer to
show its quality by extracts from its pages
rather than by remarks of our own. We Sc
lect, therefore, few short passages almost at
random.
THE UNWIsE SEPARATION OF THE SEXES.
at is well-sottled conviction of my
mind that society separates too much its male
and female youth. In our schools our boys
and girls are separated. Almost the entire
course Of education is pursued in sexual
isolation. The girls are taught that it is not
pretty to be with the boys, and the boys that
it is not manly to be with the girls; and yet
both are anxious for each others society. In
this unnatural and unhappy state their mag
nations are left to fill up the void made by
separation. Imagination seldom does such
work well. believe it is the grand cor
rupter of youth. The brother and sister
should grow up together in the same family,
be educated at the same school, engage in the
same sports, and, so far as practical, in the
same labors. Their joys and SORROWS tastes
and aims, should be mutual so far as posi-
be- The same moral lessons, the same NOR
al obligations and duties should bear upon
them. The moral standard for the gr should
be the moral standard for the boy, and he
should be made to feel that the moment he
fails below it be is unworthy, and must not
exrect her confidence and society. 1t is a
sad error that the youths Of our towns and
country are separated in so many of the most
important duties of life. They are permitted
to come together only for sport and nonsense,
Their study and work are separate. Hence
the good influence which they ought to have
upon each other is in great measure lost.
They are unacquainted with each Others ma :
lures. They have but little interest in each
others business and duties. They meet only
to caole and deceive each other. They wear
masks in each others presence. For this
state OF things no enc in particular is to
blame, bat every one in general. 1t is the
fault Of society"
FASHIONABLE WOMEN.
Fashion kills more women than toll and
sorrow. Obedience to Fashion is greater
trausgression Of the laws of woman's nature
a greater injury to her physical and mental
constitution, than the hardships of poverty
and neglect. The saye-woman at her tasks
will Huo nd fl1 nd IL
generations Of her mistresscs Jade and pass
away. The washerwomon, with scarce a ray
of hope to cheer her in her tolls, will live tc
see her fashionable sisters all die around her
The kltchen-mald is hearty and strong, while
her lady has to be nurscd like sick baby
1t is sad truth that Fashion-pampered wo
men are almost worthless for all the grea
ends Of human life. They have but it'll
force of character; they have still less powe
Of moral will, and quite as little physical en-
ergy. They live for no great purpose in life
they accomplish no worthy ends. They ar
only doli-torms in the hands Of millners an
servants, to be dressed and fed to order
They dress nobody, they feed nobody, the
Instruct nobody, they bless nobody, and saw
nobody. They write no books, they set II
rich examples OF virtue and womanly ife.-
If they rear children, servants and nurses d
it all, save to conceive and give them birth
And when reared what are they? What d
:, they even amount to, but weaker scions Of ii
old stock Who ever heard of iashonab
womaa's child exhibiting any virtue or powt
5 of mind for which it became eminent? Rea
! the biographies Of our great and good me
I and women. Not one of them had fas
ionable mother They nearly all sprur
= from plain, strong-minded women, who ha
about as much to do with Fashion as wi
. the changing clouds"
-, EMPLOYMENT AND OPPORTUNITY.
81 would have every boy and girl in Il
= whole country taught to make their own Ii
. ing at some useful Employment: to mark o
;. for themselves sphere Of action and then {
that sphere; to be useful in some honorab
pursuit. would not put the boys to trad
8 and professions to make them great and GOO
= and fold up the girls hands and lay the
u away in the drawer or shut them up in t
u parlor. | would not make the boys self-re
IS ant and vigorous by generous Employme'
II and the girls weak, puny, and dependent,
. idlenoss or folly. | would not give the DO
ii opportunities to develop their powers and |
i come noble men, and deprive the girls of
= these glorious privileges. | would not op
, II thousand avenues to distinction, wealth, a
L worth to the boys, and comparatively no
70 to the girls. | would not send the boys c
> into the field Of life bravely to earn tn
= own living and grow strong in doing it, a
Of the girls out to beg their living Of the DO
l. and grow weak and worthless in their dcp'
70 dent beggary. like the girls too well
$; have them thus mistreated would 81
ia them just as good chance as the boys ha
10 They should not be degraded with halt p,
10 and only two or three ways to get a livi
{, just because they were made to be women
a The best thing TO give your enemy is (
10 g'veness; to your opponent, tolerance; t,
n friend, your heart; to your child, good
to ample; to father Difference; to your mo
Ne er, conduct that will make her proud Of ye
n to yourself, respect; to all men charity.