New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-03-29
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
HOW WOMEN MAY ATTAIN SUCCESS.
TO ne Editor Of The Trtbane.
Sfp. As ono IF dsubtlesa many persons /

| TO he Editor Of The Trtbans.
| SIR As one of doubtless many persons in
receipt OF frequent communications from unknown cor
respondents seek little space in your columns TO adj
dress the class OF my from whom so far as can
personally testify these letters come OF their writer's
the ambitious invariably In search OF Z" ca
reer" the Others In quest OF another employment or
different allotment In life from that which falls to their
share to-day. The point In which they essentially
agree that they expect TO obtain the career or the
employment not through their persistent effort or
special attainment but by the help OF some one else
They desire TO lifted from obscure paths to the Nights
whence they may address o waiting world or from hard
paths wherein they painfully to cool meadows and
beside s For answer to what is said In dier-
ing shape by almost every OF these seekers desire
TO compress into the breest possible space the record
OF three women's lives who In widely different walks
OF life, have done worthy work and gained success
worth having and deduoe from that record the les
OF which my correspondents seem most TO stand In
| need. or ono only OF these three women do
| give the name. since her work was done In the
public eye she within the last year passed from
| the reach Of earthly plaudits.
Dr. Ann Preston's name and fame identified with
the woman's Medical College. and Woman's Hospital OF
Pennsylvania. Exceedingly delicate In her nervous or
ganzation and slight and frail in frame, she had no
great vlgor vital strength which
might make work pastme to her. Still less had
she the advantages OF high school instruction and
special training for want OF which many OF those
whom address sigh that their life ia wasted. whatever
to be gained, first, at district school somewhat
| above the average then at On unambitious Quaker
boarding she made her own Then she found her
time and labor needed at homo. and she gave both
cheerfuy and unsparingy. She sole daughter and
sister In family which comprised her six brothers, an
invalid mother and father far from rich In this worlds
goods. But she lost opportunity OF informing her
mind OF exercising thoughtful judgment OF exchanging
Tho
had few idle hours and no wasted Ones And as the re-
suit OF her application and selfdscipline she had
| wider and more varied knowledge, q ripper and
| wiser mind, than often possessed by
| those upon whom the advantages OF uni
versities and OF special training-schOos have
lavished. She thirtysix old before she
was free upon any other than the crcum
scrbed OF her country home At the same time the
| Woman's Medical College was opened In Philadelphia,
and at an ago when almost all women and many men
think IL late to enter upon untried paths she became
student there. Two years after her graduation her
resolute persistent unfnohng energy had gained her
position which brought about her election to pro-
chair in that college, and she shortly after
ward became Dean OF the Faculty 1t Is not my purpose
TO date upon her further 1t ia sufficient TO lndi
cato the fact that large number of the leading phys
clans in the city OF her residence TO look at last
with favorable eyes the entrance OF women into
their profession mainly through the influence OF Dr.
Pres0ns character and success What desire TO make
prominent ia the fact that 1t was character, sefdsci-
pine persistent not extrinsic advantages OF
adventtious circumstances. which wrought that sue
cess.
The second case which wish 10 place on record IL
that OF a young who gained the plainest rudi-
| ments OF an English education in a secluded inland
village came with her brother to the city, where she
learned the Of dressmaking, and went out by the
day from ono employers house another. until her
| into hFafa
himself as q coal dealer Her husband had fair
| measure OF success and his income was increasing,
when he suddenly died leaving 70 her sole care four
little children Deciding at once that she could best
care them and for herself by taking her husbands
place. has carried the business for the last twelve
years famiiarizing herself the first with every
detail, punctua in her countng-room, whe at the
time supervising her housekeeper ana looking
after her chdrens education as thoroughly "a II those
were her sole empoymeuts. she is probably coarse
grained woman, without delicacy or refinement sald
ladylike In appearance, in address, in feeling
as any leader OF society. The woman who had resol1-
character not to have OF herself body
mind, II but for her children's sake
The last of whom would speak, married, at an
age when she should have been at school, man or
varied intellectual powers wide attanments ana impe
the child woman whom he sought ana wOn ana whena
very time suced 10 show that she was In no wise
companion To him. the drifted widely apart and the
life Of the young wife, at least was very unhappy one
I'm bTliant society into which che rarely entered.
| years went them till she was over twenty know
not whence or the resolve 10 her 70 ht herself
for eOmpanionship with her husband to win again his
tenderness but 1t came It was uphill work for long
time she was ignorant. But she sought the text
books favOrte studies, and she pored over them,
and the masterpieces of English literature with
diligence that would not be discouraged She went into
society with him again. and listened whore she could
not speak There 10 him great surprise one even
ing when she appealed TO upon subject upon
| which he had supposed her profoundly ignorant and
she replied in manner which showed her well versed
IN 1t; showed her. beyond that, an Intelligent and
thoughtful Gradually they came together again
in mind and heart. To-day she Is happy WIFE, and one
OF the most brilliant women In a metropolitan circle
which boast its own an enylabe share OF grace
and brilliancy.
Nv stories told The moral In which they all
IA brief full OF point and meaning In line Of
pursuit there is royal road To success for woman as
there never has been one for man. Among tho women
letters have 20 me-and others Ike them
the lack 10 less OF opportunity than Of purpose, will
power persistence. The most valuable part OF every
education i'll the stress ana strain OF daily fe ana
would succeed In new careers, IN wider employments,
must lay hold OF all the varied means OF culture with
which the very air of the Nineteenth century Is full
Books, newspapers thought, conversation, action 0ner
20 every man and woman who will steadfastly and pa
teutly them than university OF to-day can
supply of the instruction needed for success In fe But
the instruction which thUy offer must DO made ones
by continuous faithful endeavor. 1t Is personal attain
chiefly others help them forward must OF necessity
fall 10 the rear In conclusion let me remind some who
have ntimated that IL they could not fill certain cOnspic
uous positions In the worlds they could take no IN
alike to the world and 10 ourselves, what work we do
and what sphere MI than what IA the spirit in which
we do the one, the manner which fill the other.
SUSAN EVELYN DICKINSON
Philadelphia. Penn. March 70. 1873.