The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1878-11-24
WONEN'S IND USTRIES.
London Tablet. Nov. ..

IL
of ideas-as though they we're BOT "a rally
practical. Yet, from some points of view they
are more intelligeutly business like than even
our 'solid" B -itish public. They are especial
got theory in which they firmly believe, they
show their faith by their patience and care.
We may say that tdry have less pref udtce han
the English. new idea does not seem t ,
them dangerous because it shocks long tradi-
tiops and habits. We will give one example in
contrast. A few years ago it was attempted in
England to enlarge the sphere of English femi-
nine occupations The enterprise did not meet
with success. The popular conviction that
women should stay at home, aud notibtrude
on mems trades or professions, was too firmly
men having fair play. The English Govern
ment gave help in the matter, and admitted
women into f.w public fiji ces but the want
of organization for the education of women
greatly limited the value of the concession. So
again Mss Emily Faithfnll, with meritorious
energy, tried the scheme of "a women's print
ing establishment; bot the want of special
training, the want tofselfsupport, and the want
of thoroughly sound commercial basis led to
the failure Of the experiment. Thus two causes
have combined to render difficult in England
work-tbe pre- udice which exists sgsinst the
theory, ard the want of sy stem which tells
against its application. Il is not yet fully re-
cognjzsd that women can do mems work, nor
that they ought to be allowed to try to do it.
And yet the experiment, even in England,
wretchedly hampered as it has b. en-, should
have led us to different conclusion.
In the year 1862 there was opened in Paris q
school for Instr ucting young women to engage
in the higher branches of industry" and sD
small was the beginning that there were only
little room. Yet from this earliest germ there
has now sprung into existence vssr, national,
educational sys stem. Before speaking of its
success, let Us note one impor tsrt point, which
was established essential -tfiHeiP4e.
Every pupil had to Psy for her education.
Charity" was utterly secuted as fatal. The
object to make women's professions
honorable in every wey ss are mems; and u
associate the idea { f future remuneration with
present if bnt partial, self support. II is true
that only eight franos per month were reqnir-
ed from each one of the pupils that this
amount-scarcely four pounds per annnm-
could not cover the educational cost but the
amount was quite 81 ffciept to constitute all
the d ference between dignitied and u humi-
latin ffJrt On this principle, every public
school has been founded snd has b2en fruitful
ly worked.
The "Ecole professionelle pratique pour lea
j eunes files, which was started in 1871, has, in
its seven years. life, prepared more thau a
I thousand French girls for various kinds of in.
dustrisl employment. This school is now
schools, which are allied to one another, as
diffe :ent branches of one oumon Institution
they succeed now even more by their admir-
able combina alton than by their separate or
isolated work. The Societies de Patronage"
were used to spread the knowledge both of the
schools and of the pupils who we're attending
them; so that in every part of France the en-
ployers and the employed might be brought
into sc fiji ,ienk communi icatiou. The Society of
st. Vincent de Paul is q medium for obtaining
the most reliable information; and 80 the
"Guvre de st. Charles"-and even Protestant
and Jewish cieties-comb bine to provide pos
itions and candidates. The large variety of
occupations which are now thrown open to
young women neceBsitates q large variety in
the subject taught; or rather the wide sphere
of the technical instruction fits young women
for all sorts of conditions. Let us name few
First comes the general education, which
serves to show the special capacity of the stu-
dent, and so to indicate tie most suitable call
ing. Then comes the particular education, in
the groove which has been proved 20 be congo.
nisl, or which at least has been suggeEtsd by
observation. Millinery, dress making, needle
work among the old fashioned feminine
pursuits; but commerce in many branches, and
oally to aspirants. To engrave on wood, to
paint on porcelain or ivory, } design OF man
pfacture jewelry, and, if We must give it the
last place, the ''art culinSire" are few more
of the many professions which are thrown open
widely to women. And since severe examina-
tioDs have to precede o certificate cf fitness
there is no fear of the professions being dis
graced' Bat we have not alluded to the i'm
portant State establishments, which provide
place for many Thousands of the pupils. Two
of these in particular, the manufactory of the |
Cfioe have employed, and are employing, wo-
And it is q very high compli- |
ment that they have done this; for the highly. |
trained male artisAns-artists, very often, in a
rue sense-who are engaged in the higher dc.
Partmepts of these public works would not
tsh thst their masculine rivalry should be
ascredited by unworthy cos6j jators.
Yet al the National Printing Off ,e there are
66 women, aud bot 654 men. And at the
Anufactory Of the Gobelins one.tbiTd of the
VorkeTs-Aud this too in the highest depart
nents-are of the sex which used to be es-
eemed as only domestic. And it must be
edded that the inspectors of these institutions
ond SO do the private firms, which employ wo-
men as much as men, aud would give the pref.