The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1868-01-15
Anoersplr yntelligeltfer,
From the South Carolina Bapt;st.
Whist Shall We Do?

1uT. EGtt6g- i uNSllhe7 10 IresP'So W
your space, but as no one else will DO 1t
I cannot longer refrain. from speaking
against what 2 consider outrage, injustice
These are truly 'times that try mems
souls, ,'-when oppression, crime and pov
erty hold triune sway. And not only are
the sortitude and integrity of q Christian
soul tried, but the mental powers and the
physical energies of all are severely exer
cisgd to devise ways and means Of prac
tically answering: the perplexing ques
tions, "Mhat shall we eat, and where.
withal shall we be clothed z" Even In
every country newspaper we find that ed
itors and correspondents selfimPose the
easksof informing every one, that sit is
his or her duty to be engaged in some
useful business, that will aid in restoring
the exhausted resources of the country"
The motive of public good, however, is
moro remote than the dire necessity of
working or starving. 1t is the duty be-
cause it was the decree of the Designer,
for woman ever to be actively engaged in
the arena of life. A most important part
of her mission is to be performed before
becoming trammelled or exhausted BY the
cares that attend her in the sphere OF
wife or mother. In the present social
status the limit of labor for an unmarried
lady is, necessarily, very circumscribcd.
Say the fogies of ULTRA opinion in regard
TO the modesty and secluded employmenta
Of young ladies', "Let them stay at home
and assist their mothers, and dismiss the
negro servants" Well. they do this, be-
cause they are obliged to; but they soon
learn that it is easier to perform the
household duties, and sew for t'co, than it
is for a large family, and an early mar
riager with some son of Poverty is the
general result. Then, the censors of the
world condemn the young people for the
indiscretion of marrying, when all are
$50 poor.' Well, for one, have received
3 year of nolens rolens drilling in this
school, and though have not striven for,
nor been accounted worthy of receiving
the honorary degree, F. F. W., (it for
ewife,) yet I have grown restive, and feel
tempted to play truant. But how can Il
Whilst, vainly trying to read the last new
novel. and cRuTn at tho same time, be-
came convinced, by the forgetfulness OF
the task set me in Domestic Economy,
and my entire absorption in the book,
that q literary pursuit would be more
suited to my taste. Not that teaching,
the only available occupation, would be
any easier. Speaking from experience, l
know that sweeping the floor, washing
the dishes, and giving directions for din
ner, is light task, compared to the toll
os learning an obtnse miss the valne Of
notes, the formation of major scales with
their relative minors, &c. Thon what q
trial Of patience it is, to bear with the lit
tie obstinate, who, for the fftieth time
parses bird objective case and governed
by has; or hear the bright ~ student of
classics, after conjugating "amo" for
week, call some tense the present paSsire
pFarticiple; and after hours of mental la
bor, still to have to find for some young
Archimedes, the misplaced X that has
made his whole equation wrong. Now
this is neither easy nor profitable. 1t is
intense labor, and sacrifice of ones time,
and treasured thoughts, that cannot be
repaid in dollars and cents. But "teach-
ing young ideas" and bending tender
tWigs," is doing good to others. This
consciousness, and the mental benefit, is
the teachers need, Then, as the per-
formance Of home duties is inevitable, at
some time in nearly every woman's life,
why cannot young ladies engage in teach
ngyif competent Why do they not ad-
vertise for situations fthey wish TO teach? I?
Well, an acquaintance of mine who was
willing and competent to make her own
living, aud assist her father in the sup
port of large and helpless family, did
advertise. The mails was brought in.
"Pa, is my advertisement published ?"
eyes, and the advertisement of a young
man, a graduate of Mercer, in just above
it." sDo you see any advertisement for
teachers?" Yes, here are two, both wish.
ing gentlemen to take charge of small
SCHOOL," The lady's advertisement re.
ceived no answer. Suppose the "gentle.
men wanted" were easily found. This is
the reason that hundreds of ladies who