The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1872-05-10
THE TRAINING OF WOMAN TO IN
DUsTRIAL AND METHoDIcAL
HABITS
From the New Orleans Times, ]

HABITS
From the New Orleans Times.
We have been much struck lately
by an article going the rounds of thu
press, which draws a comparison be
tween the domestic training of the
English and American women. We
are carried into the homes of the
"blue blood" of England, and see
duchesses and ladies of quality whose
lives are routine of regular and
useful employments. To assist their
husbands in copying or overlooking
business documents-to superIntend
schools and work in their gardens,
to visit the sick and afflicted among
their tenants, and never shrink from
any duty, however distasteful, which
may grow out of the eXigencies and
wants of others, seems recognized
rule among these fair patricians. All
employments of one hour never in
fringe upon another. Life is with
them serious thing, not to be pass
ed in whirle of excitement, or with
lazy folded hands.
On the reverse side we see the
fashionable American woman. In
her own opinion her wealth and pos
ition exempt her from any exertion
or any duty beyond the search for
pleasure. Part of her life is spent
in a whirl of excitement, and the 9th,
err portion in dawdling in a rocking
chair. The n0JleSSe ob1ige of the
English woman leads her to useful
occupation of the American to a
dolce far nicnte, and a life emptied
of all responsibilities.
In drawing this comparison, the
writer merely sets before us the re-
suits of good and evil system. The
system itself lat least the evil one
he ignores. Yet what other fruit
could possibly do the ontgrowth OF
the forced and unnatural training Of
fashionable American girls life.
Take the little girl from the nur-
sery, and under the direction of her
mother let her little limbs be squeez-
ed into tight dresses, and her little
feet into tighter shoes. Teach her
that the happy romping sports OF a
free childhood are rude and unnat-
ural, set before her as the highest
standard of right, to wear her dress
es without tearing or soiipg them,
or never to raise her voice beyond a
conversational tone, to ignore com
mon people, to enter a room grace
fully, to polka, and waltz, and flrt'
in imitation of he elder sister, is to
make her a charming child indeed,
and all that her mothers heart could
desire. Then place her at fashion
able hool-give her smattering OF
science, and deeply grounded love
of novels; tell her that to excel In
the art of dress is a virtue, and to be
fine musician will lead to socia
triumphs, which from her child
hood have been set before her as the
grand object of her life.
Do all this, and you will make the
idle, irresponsible, fine lady, to whom
the name and spirit of duty is utter
ly unknown. To trife with God
great gift of time is part of our fash
ionable culture. A life filled will
systematic Iabors for the good of 9th
ers may do very well for the Eng
lish peeress, but it is opposed to Gu
educational system. We remembe
seeing some specimens of the furni
turc of long pass century. Tn
chairs and tables were most elabo
rateIy carved and moulded, but will
such frail spidery legs, that is chair
and tables they were literally use
less. They could not bear thu
weight of child without breaking.
We think this ornamental training
of human souls is somewhat analo
gous. As men and women, as par
and portion of the human family
they are positively useless. Gran
that reverse overtake them, which
in our national commercial gambhn
is of frequent occuranceY They al
totally unperpared fer the exigencJ
The spirit may be willing but eve
a spirit has tc be trained to useful
ness in thought an act, or it flags an
sinks under new responsibilities. Th
lives of these unfortunates are spen
in a faded, respondent manner, o
go out like spent candle. Yet, ha
both physical and mental thews an
sinews been assiduously trained an
exercised in a certain routine of use
fulness and duty, there would hav