Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1868-04-04
Orwell. Ono. March Is. 1865.

DEAR Lutte IL remember of promising
you, some time ago, that l would give you
short chapter ON Western Reserve Girls, at
some future day. and as there is not likely to
be a more favorable opportunity than the
present, proceed TO cancel the obligation.
I suppose the reason why you have assign
ed this delicate and very particular task to
me, is, because you imagine that my expert
enee. among the class aforesaid, has been
more extensive and varied than your own
Ny experience has been considerable, and be-
sides came very near being a Western Re
serve girl myself was born on the same
tract of land, and the only reason why l was
not one of them, was-that turned out 10 be
a boy.
But that is immateral, and has no particu-
lur bearing upon the subject matter in ques-
ton. 1t is Of the girls that you would know.
Well, the girls of the " Connecticut Wes-
tern Reserve" in Ohio. do not differ materi-
ally from those of other sections of this great
country in their make MP. physically. They
are mostly female, and blooming like the rose.
They wear gowns and things, and support
water falls and such. But the popularity OF
Western Reserve girls-the where in which
they differ from most other girls, is the no
ticeable feature. And they are peculiar set
of feminines, and differ from girls generally
in more ways than one.
To p lticularize:
Firstly Nearly every one who has fairly
got into her teens is a school marm.-
THAT is a recommendation which viii strike
4" Wisconsins Favsrite Son" very fayorably-)
SecOadly.-Almost every one of the afore-
said is = natural housekeeper, They can
make loaf of bread milk cow or make a
cheese. Just as easily as they can teach a class
in A.B.C. (These qualifications suit some
young men, who are just stating in business,
and are looking for = partner with small
capital y
THirdly.-Thcy are all well posted in po-
litical. religious, literary and general matters.
(These are accomplishments, which in other
localities are sometimes considered superau
Gus and vulgar.)
F5rikly.-They choose their own hus
bands, and generally make good selections
before they have become withered and lost
their front teeth (Such haste is often con-
sidered rash" in this age of patchwork and
petroleum fortsnes)
FJflhly.-They make good wives for good
husbands. and cheer instead of chill a home
hearth. (This is considered, apparently, an
unnatural condition at this day and age of the
werld.)
These, Lutte. are some of the "peculiari-
ties" which the Western Reserve girls pos
| sess-and which to my mind are very desira-
bic requisites for woman who may soon
be called upon to do the indoor business for
a well regulated family!
Seriously, there is no section of the land, OF
the same area, that furnishes so many good
women as does this. / mean those who are
fully fitted for the high and holy stations OF
wives and mothers. In many other localities
fitness for the trying duties of life (among the
girls) is the erceptioR-here IT is the Tade.-
| Their education is made complete in all the
necessary requirements. In some of the SUI
| perfluous branches, like music and dancing
| they are often dcfic;cnt-which is not at all
| TO their discredit
said that the girls here were: all school
marms. By that / mean that they make
themselves proficient in the different branch
es of education, so that if necessity or occa-
sion requires, they are competent to teach
school. And can safely say, without fear Of
/ contradiction, That in the county where 1 am
now writing, (Ashtabula,) there is not
one female out of every twenty, who has
reached the age of eighteen years, whose cd
ucation does not qualify her for the position
Of teacher. ! believe that it is admitted that
/ this county produces more female teachers
who engage in the profession than any other
| county IN the United States. Here all can
and aedrly all do, receive the beucfiis of al
/ least a common-schOOl education. Besides
the free schools which are 10 be found al al
most every cross roads. and are of access TO
/ all children, there are schools and academies
Of higher order in nearly every village. AT
these higher schools, the girls (perhaps i
should dignity them by the term young la
dies. y attend in wiHter, and if not able to
continue their studies during the whole Of the
eal,-whIch is usually the case-they either
/ teach district schools or assist in the duties
of the farm, making butter and che, Sc, during
the summer and so they persevere until
they have acquired their needful education.
Such women as these girls make are bles-
sings to society and the world They leave
their early homes competent 20 occupy the
higher positions which they engage TO fill
elsewhere. They have the faculty of battling
against the storms of adversely. if need be,
when others would give up in despair. They
are always help instead of burden to their
husbands.
Far is il from my mind, to draw invidious
distinctions among women, or 10 extol those
of one LEGALITY TO the diseredit of those Of an
other and there is no one who has higher
regard for the virtues and beauties of woman
kind than myself. With an humble view to
possible benefit TO a small PORTION Of the
sex, have penned these lines in the hope of
calling some attention TO the fallacy of the
system of what is termed popular educa-
tion'-and at the risk of mourning the dis
pleasure Of some of my young lady friends
in Wisconsin-or their dear mamas-I will