The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1877-02-14
For the Sunday Sentinel
WHO ARE THE SUPERFLUOUS W0-
MEN?


By MRS. sALLIE A. RAMAGE.
Every woman should have trade or a
profession declared Mrs. Livermore in her
recent lecture in this city, and certainly no
one doubted the truth or wisdom of her
remarks, but the all engrossing, all imPor-
tant question with the women is, ''How shall
we obtain either the one or the other,
trade or profession, that shall enable us to
be independent" The matter is not limit
ed in its importance, nor in its scope; 1t az
fects the daughters of the rich as well as
those of the poor, for no mother can tell the
life needs of her girl; she can not read the
future, its demands nor requirements, and
she must prepare her child for the worst as
well as for the best that the years may
bring Educate every girl as If she was
sure to besa wife, mother and housekeeper,
and educate every girl as if she was sure to
be neither wife, mother nor housekeeper,"
said the lectureSs. l imagine that between
these two trainings, as we now teach, very
few ordinary women would accomplish
much in either direction, either at trade,
profession or home work.
The truth is a woman is essentially
woman: she must think, act, work, live as
woman, or she will lose all and gain moth
ing. and she is very apt to find herself super
huous when she crosses, or attempts to cross,
the line that divides her labor and reward
from those OF men. The world has need of
women cultivated, refined, jealous, strong,
capable. willing, industrious laborers, but it
has neither demand nor field for those who,
striving for coveted position and employ
ment, unsex, themselves, and who, trying to
grasp shadowy prizes, lose their substantial
hold upon competency they once possessed.
Trained, skilled workers, who are willing to
do their tasks humbly or elevated. are in
constant demand. They are sought for
eagerly and are the ones who, unless forced
out by peculiar circumstances, retain posi-
tions of constantly increasing value. Women
who understand the details of their trade or
their daily avocatiOn, who are neither
ashamed Of their work nor themselves for
doing it, are bound to succeed. They are
rarely ever the ones who have to give way
to any one else. They are comfort and
treasure to their employees. The moment
honest labor becomes a disgrace to any
woman with false pride and silly vanity, the
instant she is afraid of the worlds jeers and
sneers that hour she loses the dignity and
respect that is part of the never ending re-
ward of conscientiously performed work,
whether it be with pin, needle or
broom. We need educated, trained
servants, and yet, perchance, you
Listen to the not overdrawn domestic pic
lures of wives and mothers, and see how
many homes are anxious to secure capable,
willing servants. Good hOusekeepers, cooks,
housemaids, nurses are in demand, and once
hired they are parted with only under pro-
test, and the memory Of the women who
know what to do and how to do it will be
zealously kept. There are hundreds of
women half starved in attics and tenement
houses, trying to make stitch by stitch
shield between themselves and death or
degradation, who, if they would, might have
warm, comfortable homes, good wages.
healthy food. But they despise, they reject
the idea of menial service; they will beg,
starve, sink, rather than be a servant, as If
tACIC NOu1O DC any cbiSud III uOiuB nOHOIt-
BILE work honorably. But many of these
women are ignorant of the very first princi-
pies of housekeeping, nor have they any
trade or profession. They sew indifferently
well, and thus they swell the vast stream of
the helpless 'superfuous women who are
not needed, are of no value because they can
give back to the world nothing in exchange
for what they demand, a comfortable sup
port. Young men are not ashamed to be
known as mechanics, laboring under a mas
ter workman, directed and guided by his
word and will. They deem it no disgrace
to serve an apprenticeship, to learn, to know
every detail thoroughly. They are laying
the foundation, and they build with pride
upon the firm knowledge they thus obtain.
But young women want to leap at once
where their prudence and wisdom will not
be questioned They want to run before
they creep They will not serve the lady of
the house in a tidy, warm, comfortable
kitchen and dining room, though their
brother is working in shop or foundry. obey
ing the gentleman of the same family. They
are too ignorant TO cemmsnd high wages a
trained servants. and yet they are not will
ing to take the very steps that will fit them
for any position in house. Every mother