The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1878-04-26
WOMEN IGNORED


The recent course Of lectures delivered
in this city by DR.. Smith, of Brooklyn,
were interesting, amusing, and instruct
i've in many ways, yet we wonder If it
occurred to the women who formed per-
haps one-half of each audience how lit
tie encouragement they received; in
short, how completely they were ig-
nored Is it possible that the "humor-
Gus folks' have always been all men
that the successful folks" have all been
mene the "old-time folks" all men
This last suppOsition is really too much,
as it annihilates at one fell swoop those
venerable criterions of all excellence,
"our grandmothers."
The lecture on successful Folks"
was not embellished from first to last
by even a feminine pronOun, and while
Commodore Vanderbilt was being eulo-
gized aud held up as a financial model
not one word was said of the toiling
mother of his twelve children, whose
thrift and good management as Inn
keeper gave him his first start on the
broad highway Of financial success.
What use for women to listen to pre-
cents and theories which profess to be
guide-boards on the road to success, yet
leave them hopeless Of achievement be-
cause they are women2 Could he not
have told US of Rosa Bonbeur and the
singleness of purpose and indomitable
energy that have given her precedence
among the great animal painters Of the
world? And is there nothing in the
life of Sarah Josepha Hale, Of Eliza
beth Barrett Browning, of Maria Mitch
ell, of Caroline Hershell, Of Catherine
Sedgwick, or of Harriet Beecher stowe
that savors Of success or encourages en-
ulatiOn?
A lecture on such a subject that en-
tirely ignores women is about as chill
ing TO their enthusiasm as are the usual
'last day" exhortations Of the commit
tee men who visit the schools, to the
girls who have at least kept pace in
learning with their brothers during the
term. Boys, as we all know, are al
ways assured on these occasions thaI
patient, industrious application to theii
studies will bring them great things il
the future. They may be statesmen
lawyers, doctors, ministers, and ever
some of their number may attain to tn
Presidential chair. The little girls
conscious of being just as quick to learn
as ready to apply themselves, and a
anxious to stand well in their classes a
are the boys, look on in discounted 81
Ience while a brilliant future is thu
mapped out for their brothers. If th
speaker be not too fearfully obtuse /
take in the situation, he will notice th
yearning expectancy in the bright eye
Of the girls, and thinking to propose
panacea for all their disappOintments !
life, be hastens TO assure them patroT
izingly that they must study hard S
they will make fit lgiUes for these con
ing heroes.
No wonder that so many women al
helpless nonentities when their earl
aspirations and efforts 10 be somebOd
and do something are thus frostbitte
by the egotism and arrogance that wa
upon the aristocracy Of sex. And n
wonder that women who go to hear a
eminent lecturer discourse upon "SuC
cessn feel disappointed and discourage
when be places men only on the royi
road, and points to men only as havin
ever reached the dazzling goal-a go'
to which, under the operation Of equ'
laws, honest and persistent effort wi
carry men and women impartially.
lecture on "Folks" Of any kind that u
terly ignores the existence of women,
their part in the great life battles thi
are fought, would perhaps 90 for wOr
such as Milton made his Adam yeai
fora world peopled with "spirits ma
culine''-and such a world would ne,
lecturers'of divine ability and power
point out for them the road to succes
if they ever Travelled it.