The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1873-02-15
our Daughters
From the Mobile Register.


Time was when there did not seem to
exist in the South any necessity for
teaching our daughters how to work,
and as a consequence we did not teach
them. But there came q time when
many felt sadly the effects of this neg
lect in their early education. Time is,
now, when many of us, in easy circum-
stances, are beginning to fall back on
the same old line, and1 would not un-
dertake to promise that a few years in
the future may not bring on a renewal
of regrets. We live in the midst of an
unsettled epoch in the history of this
country, and, consequently, no one can
tell this day what the next day will
bring forth.
This being clearly the case, it is best
to take the safe side and teach our
daughters how to work, especially we
who live in the country. It's to be sup
posed that we are n0G all capable of
teaching them, but if we are not, then
we should employ a gOVerness to teach
them for us. Let them understandhOw
to milk cows, how to attend to poultry,
the sheep, the bees-anything a lady
might look after about the plantation.
And if they take a few lessons in the
use, of the garden rake, the hoe, the
pruning shears, and even the sheep
Sheers, | assure you it won't hurt them.
l have no objections whatever to del
icate and pretty young ladies about the
farmhouse, but [ would see them rosy
and robust rather than slender and sal
low. do not object to Greek and La
tin, and music and song, but | think
| these could hardly be the worse from
coming from a head that would not be
left entirely empty when they were out.
| 7 oe- ,,J,,,o A., 1D1So,A - A-,l -
pered and pearly (bOny) fingers upon
enough when there is nothing better
but if you want to please me give ME
the notes that a Well-developed hand
and fingers "a little horny from contact
with the rolling pin and chuTn dash)
can knock forth in their fu1ness. That's
real music in my cal, while to me the
other is simply musicpOrtrayed in a very
dim picture. Always give me the real
in place of the ideal, and takem my warm
est thanks in return.
1t is not in the least d~isgraceful for a
young lady to understand how to work.
II circumstances through all her life
keep her above the necessity of bring
ing her knowledge into practical use.
she will be none the worse for having
ladit where she could have drawn up
on it instantly had occasion required
Besides it will be Il qualification to hel
to understand all that is going on
around her, and she may find it to hel
her household affairs now and then.
The editor of this department of the
Register has been talking loud amd
long about agriculture in common
schools. ! cheerfully endorse every
word said Oh that subject, and would
go still further by urging it upon Oul
ruralists to have more agriculture il
their homes, and especially among theil
daughters. Too many farmers wiye!
have a foolish notion in their heads tha-
they are raising their daughters for pro.
fessiOnal husbands, or for great mer
chants, or for Governors, or for Presi
dents, O something of that sort and
consequently, they endeayOr to prepare
them for the prOpOsedneW sphere, max
ing themselves ridiculous by an effor
to teach what they themselves know
nothing of; thus wasting time tina
ought to be applied to the real adyan
tage of the young person. # I wer,
called upon to suggest q course of edrl
cation for farmers daughters, WOul,
line it off as follows:
l 1st., A knowledge of the simples
) things about the farm-thifcs within
} the comprehensionof very young minds
2; The mysteries of the poultry var,
! and the pig-pen.
! Sd. Lessons in the garden, with les
! sons in the ehild's primer-the names o
1 the flowers and the names of the Re
: man letters. =
4th. Lessons in the kitchen andin til
second series of &c schooIn books.
: 9th. Lesson in the dairy and in tn
: more advanced series of :" SCHOOL, books
: 9Th. Lessons i'll the COW yard and i
: , books still more advanced.
: : 18th. Lessons in general househol
l affairs, and possibly lessons on the sew
! ing machine. '#
! 9th. Music and drawing, and naturt
: science. e. sc"*st.N
y 9th. The languages and advance
! courses of what the world calls lear1
I ing, that is, if within means and deeme
: necessary. MARY c. WEST.
sr.4ZEZ