The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-10-23
WOMAN.

Young Ladies:-H we look all over the whole
civilized world there is not in the most ad-
yanced Christian nation to be found any educa-
honal plans, sentiments, or ideas that look to
women providing for themselves, or that
encourage them to do so, or make 1t a disgrace
Tor them not to do 80. And yet there are no
means afforded whereby women can be surely
and certainly supported in society. use the
words "surely and certainly supported ;" because
] deem it the highest wisdom that every
woman as we'll as every man should
he given the means of self-mainte
nance, should be raised to the dignity OF
sslfsupport. If we view the varied provisions
Abat have been made by the Creator for the
maintenance of the i0lcer animals, we will hnd
that everything is as certain, fixed, ana sure as
well could be; and II we turn TO the coerclng
and inducing arrangements in human society
ahat influence men TO labor for their own sup
port, we will find that the tendency is altogether
TO make that support sure and certain. Aud
that such arrangements have not been made for
woman is curious feature OF our social econo.
mics, but it is nevertheless a fact.
Men are driven, coaXed, and counselled that
they must At the very least raise themselves to
the hon orable condition OF self.support; mt the
same time every avenue that leads to historic
fame and fortune Is open to them, whilst every
form of suitable force and inducement IS used to
enable them to reach these proud positions.
Why is it not so for women? Women require
food, clothing, and shelter, just as men do,
produce these for themselves, or, being debarred
from such production why society has not made
some other sure and certain provision Tor them
to receive all that i3 necessary for their full
support in life, is the crowning oversight and
cruelty of Christian society.
Now, it will naturally occur to all who reflect
on this matter that from this state of things
there must arise vast amount of wong and
suffering, increasing in magnitude and Intensity
proportionably with the increase of population
and civilization. Thus there is, perhaps not
vb n know
are struggling to maintain what is called re.
spectacle appearance in life, whose efforts to do
so would, perhaps, be somewhat lighter
had been brought up to labor for their own
support. There is, perhaps, not one who is not
acquainted with some woman who began life as
most women wish to do, but who has been
driven from that hopeful condition to hopeless
drudgery. ~. .ss..
Think of the children that run loose on
society fatherless, and whose mothers have
earned nothing whereby they can support
them Think of the mothers drudging to keep
themselves and their children: the eldest sent
TO work too soon in order to help the family;
the others all more or less neglected in their
educational and moral training. See what
fruitful source of ignorance, vice, unchastity,
and crime there is in this state of things.
But, although society has not made any pro-
vision by which 1t can support its women or
to educate them to support thems selves, still it
has confident; self-complacent idea that its
women can live by marriage. Now, il women
all got husbands: If husbands never get drunk
or sick or ran away, always had plenty of
work or mooey, and never died before their
wives and children, this idea of society would
be right enough but as husbands do all these
things, it follows that society is wrong, and
7hat every father, mother, or brother who pro-
mise their daughters sisters, and female
friends that it will not be necessary for them
everfto work for living, are making pro.
misses that 1t is not within their power TO keep;
ters aud sisters refused to believe these self
confident promises oil fathers and brothers; and
If they had not so disbelieved, God only knows
where some of them would be to day.
! am thinking just now of a fiaXen- haired
child who, when she entered this institution,
was as full of 'gab and giggle," and the conyen,
be. 1t was year and more before she could
settle down to work. "Her pa" she often told
me, ''said it would never be necessary for her
to work for hersef;" but pa endorsed for
friend, the friend could not pay, and pa lost all
he had. But what satisfaction to the young
lady it must have been to draw $4O0 out of the
saving fund (which she had laid by from her
earnings as teacher Of art and place it in her
fathers hands in the day of his distress. That
father saw before him daughter capable of
taking care OF herself, and, in pinch, of him
too. What a comment that was on the purse
proud sentiment of 'you will never need to
work ~
i am thinking of another lady, one who
learned wood engraving at this school. When
her husband was SICK she by her labor main
tanned him and home for herself and her
child, and she carries on business yet. Suppose
bncee nOuO1dUlS ldultS ndu ktDL Luc COmWOu
faith, would l have had the unspeakabe plea
sure of telling you to-day of the elevated posi-
tion they hold in the minds of all who know
them? / could make many interesting state
ments such as these, that at once prove the
wrongfulness of the worlds way of bringing up
women and illustrate the objects of Schools OF
Design for Women.
/ don't speak irreverently of that command
which enjoins us to respect and honor our
parents. i only wish to call attention, by the
typical facts have mentioned, that parents are
not always quite as wise as they esteem them
tion being gradually giuen, viz:-"Parents, 80
educate your daughters as to enable them to
cope with the inevitable changes of llie."
have no doubt that nearly, II not quite, all of
you young ladies have been told, again and
again, 'that it will not be needtul for you TO
study and work so as to be able to provide for
yourselves You may not always have been
fold it Just in these words, but have 70 doubt
whatever, that all your minds have been
Impressed with that thought, and perhaps you
have striven to make 1t a leading idea of your
lives. i warn you against all such thoughts;
they are most deluslVe.
/ ask you to look around amongst your
friends and acquaintance to see how many of
Them have discovered when too late that it
would have been much better If they had
adopted some well paid profession by which
they might support themselves.
The number of women who have been de-
ceiVed by the kind yet false promises of fathers
mothers, husbands, brothers, that they would
never require to support themselves, justides
me In saying that out of the number OF young
ladies before me there must be some, perhaps
more than we imagine. that will reap the bitter
fruits of faith in promises which it is not in the
power of mortal man always TO fulfil (how wever
sincerely they may have been made), II you
neglect to qualify yourselves for selfmain-
teDauce.
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