The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1875-05-05
AMERICAN GIRLS.
From the Golden Age.T

From the Golden Age.l
/ 1t Is estimated that about two hundred
American girls are annually studying
medicine. This is a turn in the right
direction, practical solution of difficult
/ problem. No reason exists why as many
women may not be graduated doctors in
medicine every year as men. With the
same education, they will be equally as
successful in the healing art. A very few
women are studying for the ministry.
This profession should be as free for
women TO enter as any other. And we
hope to see the day when theological
schools will welcome girls, as they now do
boys. There are a few women lawyers
in this country. Judging from some of
the women witnesses who have appeared
at the Beecher trial, there are many
women In Brooklyn who would make
good lawyers. The day must sometime
come when the mother of a family will
say: Il have three daughters; Emily
will study medicine, and practice in her
native town; Mary will study for the
ministry, and Pauline Cecilia will be a
lawyer" Starting out with these defnite
aims in view, a woman will have some
thing to work for worthy Of her ambition
and exertion.
AT present how narrow is the limit Of
occupation for women A hundred or
two may be studying music in Europe,
hoping to find a fortune in their voices.
Most of them will fail. Perhaps a hun
dred or two are studying art in New
7 FORK and elsewhere. In this field, those
who are willing to make the eXertion,
may win fame and a competence. Many
women have become telegraph operators,
and few are bookkeepers, while hun
dreds are clerks. All this is well much bet
ter than running sewing machines, scrub
bling basement steps and going to market.
A few women have proved themselves
good editors, and others will, in time to
come. For the matter of poetry and
general literature, women have long been
the peers of men. Many women earn
good living on the stage, a work as honor
able for them as it is for men. But after
all is said and done, the majority of wo-
men have nothing better to do than to
dress prettily, read books, play on pianos
and entertain company. When We say
the masses, we mean, of course, those
who are above want, and are not forced
to toll from morning until night to earn a
living. There are a plenty of hard
working women in America, we all know
those who have to endure as much phys
ical fatigue as criminal in the galleys. |
These, for the moment, We are not con-
sidering.
To what end is all this reading of books, !
learning of modern languages, culture in
music, and travelling over the world 7 !
That some husband may be entertained |
when weary of his ledgers that fairy |
stories may be translated from the Ger
man for the children in the nursery; that |
the piano may be played on occasion, or
sketch drawn now and then These ac-
are not to be altogether
1espised, if they have not been acquired
1T the expense of more practical and use
full knowledge. 1t is to be feared, how
ever, that the practice is too often forgot
ZEN in the education of our girls. Mr..
George Dawson, of Birmingham, Eng,
when in this country visited our common
schools. At high school in Philadelphia,
ne found six hundred girls in one room,
and they "were in the middle of the life
and characteristics of Lord Byron" In
now many schools in England would it
De any use asking the girls about Lord
Byron2 They would say they had never
heard of the gentlemen. Other girls, at
nome, content themselves with begin
ling little scraps of canvass or kid which
hey produce when company is present"
f the sum-total of their lives should be
it would frequently represent
certain sum of money spent at the mil
liners, the dressmakers, for music, hotel
,ills, balls, and travelling. Were a man
o lead such life it would be considered
nisspent He would lament it more
han Mr.. Greville does at the close of
hose remarkable memoirs, which account
or the vain and riotous living of kings,
queens, and persons of high rank. We
an hardly expect to prosper as people
n any good and earnest direction, so long
8 one-half of mankind are doomed TO the
lmost useless lives which prevail among
he American women of the better class
o-day. In this land of freedom and
pportunity every girl should be educated
nth a definite object in view. If, in
fter life, she has no occasion to practice
er trade or profession, it will at least be
ONE consolation to know that she is indie
endent of the ''slings and venOms of out
ageous fortune"