Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1870-09-14
What a Lady has to Say About the
6Girl OF the PeriOd0 AT school,

EDITOR CHRONICLE Gail Hamilton
says that in connection with our public
schools there is springing up a school
Of ungracefulness and indelicacy that
goes far towards neutralizing the good
wrought by the former. This shot is
aimed at the school girl Of the period /;
and it behOOves us, my dear sisters, as
the future ornaments OF sOciety-as the
future matrons Of the land, to inquire if
he criticism be just. Are we not, in
some degree, losing sight Of that mod
esty and true dignity that should con
stitute the chief ornaments of our sex 4?
Some may object that the criticism is
harsh and unjust; but we should, at
least, give it as much heed as we do the
e~Ntravagant and unmeaning praise to
which we too often listen with pleasure.
The peculiar weakness that provoked
the remark is the growing disposition,
on the part Of many young ladies, to
attract the notice Of the other sex, even
at the expense Of true womanly dignity.
There is a growing disposition on the
part Of the " girl Of the period" to thrust
herself on public notice and secure ad-
miration, even though health and deli
cacy should suffer in the effort To
appear ~vivacioUs, some are willing to
appear fast" To secure a fashionable
complexion, some are willing to shut
themselves up in dark rooms, barring
out the pure air and sweet sunlight OF
heaven; and when this fails, resort to
cosmetics. Portrait painting is be-
coming a quite too common accomplish
ment. The schools to which we look
for the correction of these evils, too
often foster and stimulate them. The
public examinations and literary K
cises are frequently a sort Of advertis-
ing day on which the Principal exhibits
his wares. The piercing orbs and jetty
ringlets Of the brunette, and the blue
eyes Of the blonde, are parts Of his stock
in trade. Blushing msidens of "sweet
SIXTEEN" with dragging skirts that
impede locomotion; heads encountered
with a huge wad Of something stolen
from the graveyard or the flax mill,
that destroy the symmetry and addle
the brain, and bodies distorted with bus
ties and twisted with corsets into shapes
in which it would puzzle the Creator to
discover any likeness to his own perfect
image, are paraded before miscellaneous
audiences, 10 show of their accomplish
ments, just as the farmer exhibit his
Durham cows or Berkshire pigs, or the
Snowman his mammoth OK or f~ve-legged
calf. The need OF praise is awarded
not to true merit, but to brazen impu-
dence, that enables the pOssessor to
show of to the best advantage. Last
winter I heard one OF the performers
at the public exhibition OF a class Of
young ladies severely reprimanded by
her teacher-nOt because her essay did
not contain rich thought clothed in
chsste language, but because she could
not bear, unmoved, the scrutinizing gaze
Of a miscellaneous crowd Of men and
boys. The Principal Of one Of our semi
naries advertises his Professor" OF
music as a charming young lady Of
CuAbuAo anu pressing
How delightfully."- suggestive Of the mai
rimonial advertisement! How disgust
ing to the good taste and good sense of a
lady OF culture.
I think I may hazard the assertion
that at the present day more thought is
bestowed by young indies on the subject
of personal appearance than upon intel
lectual, moral and physical culture. is
it to be thus always? May we not hope
the reign Of such fashionable folly is
drawing TO a close? Let US unite our
efforts to hasten the day when mOdesty
and true worth will be more highly
appreciated, and the disgusting displays
to which 1 have alluded less common.
Sept. S, .Is7O. TUGaIE.