Smyrna times., 1873-01-01
Bringing Up or Training Up.

What to do with daughters when they are
grown up, is a question which some parents
find difficult to answer. And certainly it is
hard to tell what can be done with many girls.
They are of no possible use to themselves or to
anybody else, cannot earn a living in the
world and require constant watching, nursing,
entertaining, and other things too numerous to
mention.
This comes from the foolish notion of many
excellent parents, that daughters ought to be
brought up. 1t is generally understood that
boys must be trained up. Now and then some
fond but foolish parent tries the experiment Of
bringing up favOrite son. He is petted,
INDUCED and fused over continually. He is
kept out of the street lest he shall soil his
clothes, away from other boys lest he shall
catch their words and ways, and never allowed
to play hard lest he shall get tired, or fall
down, or be overtaken with some other
calamity. His nurses amuse him, his mother
idolizes him, his father spends money on him,
his teachers trfe with him, and his playmates
humor his whims and yield to his petty
tyranny because he is SO pretty and has such
pretty playthings And so he is brought up in
the arms of parents and friends until he
reaches the threshold Of manhood, whose door
he has not strength enough to open. he is a
soft, sensitive, SlmpeTlng, cOncelted good for
nothing, too delicate for exposure aad toe
brittle for use, yet wanting everything he sees
and expecting everybody to do his bidding
This is bringing up.
But this method which is so fatal with boys
is the fashionable method of dealing with girls
Possessed with the notion that it is vulgar SnC
unladylike to help herself, many parents carry
their daughters in their arms from the eradl,
to womanhocd. They are dressed like dolls
caressed, INDUCED entertained, waited upon
and kept in ignorance of life and the world
Their whims are gratiied, their foiblcs laughed
at, their Stiffness encouraged; they are taugh
to be proud of their weakness, and that it i
lady-like to lean on others and be supported
through life. And so they brought up in
palanquin of indulgence, sheltered from ever.
rude and invigOrating wind, without receiving
the discipline needed for selfsustaining effort
beautiful to look at, but Of no sort of comiOr
or use to themselves or any body elSe-costl!
ornaments requiring constant care and carry
, ing.
Is it any wonder that girls who are brough
I up should be useless, frivolous, vain and ex
travagant; or that parents should wonder wha
to do with them; or that husbands hnd NOR
: thorn than flower after wearing them awhile
or that meeting with misfortune they fal
beyond recovery
What our girls need is thorough training
for life that is real and earnest. Not trained
in the same way, nor do the same things, o.
boys; but trained as thoroughly for the dutie
and cares, the pleasures and sorrows of tn
world And training means the development
f of the faculties, the sentiments, the body aH,
s soul, in practical and effective ways Trainin
n is initiation. 1t is teaching by practice an
}, example. 1t is preparing for work by don
0 the work. 1t is acquiring strength by exercis
! ing the strength already acquired. 1t looks a
0 use. 1t aims at skill. 1t means accomplish
: ment, self support, independence, power
! Give our girls this thorough practical trainin