The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1873-04-09

EIapD, going the fDuiiiiS OF tuc udil'
. papers and headed A Tragic Death
, states that Miss MagerEie. a natiY,
, Of Pittsfeld, in Massachusetts. died
Of starvation aud opium the othe
iav. al st. Paul. In the best of re
p0rter's English, il Is related that be
, father was rich and gave his daugb
: ter "A thorough education, but diving
: insolyent. lett her 'fricndless in tn,
cold werld.' Going TO ST. Paul, sht
attempted to make vests for liveli
hood, bat the want Of skill prevent
ing success she tried ether means o
honorable support, which always fail
ing, she took opium, and was fouut
in her room in dying state
Now, we concede there is a trag
edy here, but it is not 10 our thinking
the final taking of Admitting the
story to be trae, the poor child's death
/ seems the only act of the drama
which was not tragic. The real ele
ment of tragedy lay in the vast dis,
proportion between her needs and
capacities. between the qualities she
brought to life and the qualities
which life demands The failure to
live was the tragical thing. And the
contemplation Of il opens the wide
subject Of the training of our girls
The mistake as it seems 10 us Of
our whole system Of female educa-
ton, is fundamental one. 1t c5n-
templates only schools, not functions.
Whereas the modern American finds
the only satisfaction Of life TO be use
fulness. and has a right TO demand
the training which viii open the way
alike to a noble c0ntentment and pro-
priety. We shall vet have some
thing to say Of the inadequaey Of the
BOYS instruction to his probable oc-
casion; but what with modern tech
nical schools with opportunities for
apprenticeship. and with the width
Of this broad continent wherein tC
better his condition, the boy, from the
start, holds large odds against fail
ure. Moreover, however miserablv
the means NAV fall short Of the end,
the thought that underlies a boys
education is. that he must study that
be NAV be able to get his living.
The community excuse neither idle
ness nor incapacity in man. And
the harder and more intelligentlv be
works, the more he sits at ease in the
high places of appreciation. In this
one condition his advantage over his
sister in inestimable. For the COM
munity practically coddles and ad-
mires idieness and incapacity in a
woman, as is shown in the quality of
her education, and in the popular
liings at the strong minded" ." 4
working boy rows his boat always
with the current \ working girl
rows hers, usually. against, it.
We need no ghost come from the
grave to tell US of the wrongs Of all
this But the ghost of Nellie Mayer
ME will not down. Here was a girl
born in Pittsfeld, city Of famous
schools for girls, receiving there. it is
said, "a thorough education We
all know what that means. 1t is an
education beginning with the scale of
C natural on the piano, and ending
with the sOnatas of q minor and
Le Roi des W0nfGgneS, if, indeed, it
comprehend anything 30 vigorous. 1t
is an education which fixes a girl for
the trade of a fine lady. Leaving
out of view the insult implied in the
notion that this teaching or existence
can satisfy any immortal creature,
there remains the certain and delib-
crate cruelty of it. For there is no
class of girls in America, as in aristO-
cratic countries. exempt from the ne
cessitv of labor. Wealth alone can
insure that freedom, and wealth Is no.
where 50 insecure as here where the
basis is seldom landed property OF
twenty girls brought up under this
aimless system of instruction, and
reared extensively, ten must sooner
or later. earn their bread or if they
do not it is because they will meanly
consent to to take it, unearned from
father, brother, relative or friends,
who cannot afford TO give it. Froude
saws, there are but three WAYS TO
gets ones living; to earn it, to steal
it, or to beg it; and he that does not
choose the first takes, perforce, one of
the other two. There cannot be
much question which is the wise way,
one would think; vet virtually we
teach our well bred girls to be thieves
and beggars, if we refuse to teach
them to be workers And by work
ers we do not mean superficial teach
ers of superficial studies. nor snowy
and faulty pianists, nor companions,
en- sufferance, of rich relatives and
friends. We mean competent opera
tors in some trade or handicraft. We
mean photographers, telegraphers,
watchmakers, glass engravers, wood
engrayers, designers, tGilors, dress
makers. jewellers, manufacturers, ,prin-
tiers, shOemakers, sea captains, archi-
tects. gardeners, farmers, poulterers,
fruit-growers, book keepers, uphol-
sterers, picture dealers, grOcers, dec
orators, tin-peddlers, if any choose.
Whatever business is honest and
profitable for boy, is honest and
profitable for girl, other things being
equal. since Heaven, less discriminat-
ing than modern sentiment, has made
capacity of no sex Nellie Marger-
nie finds her thorough education of
no possible use to her when, for the
irst time, she needs to profit by it.
Yet in the city wherein she died,
there were probably hundred fami-
lies wherein a thoroughly competent
American nurse or waitress and
chambermaid would have received
exceptional wages, and a safe, if not
agreeable home. We do not speak
of cooks situation, because a good
cook is a creature of careful training
and long practice, and no novice can
I fill that place But other household
avocations are comparatively mechan-
ical and simple, and within the range
of moderate capacity and of expert
ence And when we say we would
have very little respect for woman
who would permit herself to starve
to death where domestic service
stands begging for honest hands. we