Claiborne guardian. [volume] (Homer, La.) 1877-188?, 1880-04-14
what Shall Women Do7

every day here in tho South to decide tbi'
question: Shall women be allowed AL
equal chance with men in those pursuits
that are not beyond their physical capac'
ity' 1t is no longer proper to say may a
woman pursue this or that calling ia life
Reasonable men and women all over the
land feel that avenues hitherto closed
10 females by reason Of false public sen
timeut, should now be opened and our
daughters, wives and sisters given an OPP
portunity to live by some other means
than by the needle or teaching some Of
the more simple branches common TO our
schools. We feel krenly the necessity Of n
change in the public mind in regard Ia
this matter. For years We have seen
men occupying the places that women
should fill, while grey-haired fathers la
bored from one days end to another to
support in partial idlencss family of
daughters, while young men shaved away
the morning Of their lives, not daring to
take wife To their arms because of their
obligation to the mothers and sisters
whose hands were tied by an incorrect
public sentiment.
We know men who have long since
passed the turn Of life that are afraid To
die, not because of evil deeds done on
earth, but because Of the d"-titntion that
would fall npon the wife and daughter.
who look to them for food aud ruinrrt
Not three weeks ago the editor of the
! Guardian asked . yonng lady friend if she
had ever Thought of a way to live hen
her father died, aud IN view of that con-
tingency would it not be well that she
should learn To do something in order that
she .ht live herself aud contribute her
quota to the support Of the mother and
little ones.
Yes, she had thought of all these things.
bnt-"what would people ray if were To
90 into the Guardian office To- learn Ia set
type, or should tit myself for telegraph
the counter in one Of the stores in town'"
what will people say" includes the sun
of all the objections to an indcp, ndcnt
cff'rt 10y II woman Ia gain her bread. II
Is well enough to give some heed to pub
lie opinion. Bnt IL il unfortunate, indeed.
that the submission to the views of A
community should take the form Of
blind slavery. One must judge for them
selves If the appreciation or reprobation of
those around them be we'll founded or not
The public are ~ often wrong as right,
and in many things are more needless than
the individual.
The touchstonc to be applied to any
intended step must always be- sis it right
i'll the sight Of God" That bcing settled
the views of men aud women should not
stand in our way.
Fathers, mothers, wives. husbands, sis
tiers and daughters must all look tins
question squarrly in the face
The father and the mother wish their
girls to live independent lives Every
nohlcr feeling aud impuLo rcyolts at the
thought that their loved ones may have To-
eat the bread of charity or perhaps of
shame There can he no certainty that
the money saved now will be- suarrd tn
the giIls hereafter. The husband, in the
contemplation Of death, insurcs hl, life
that the wife aud children may in mra,-
urr be- provided for. The wife, daughter
or sister may with reason dread that acct
dent or disease may paralysc the hand or
brain that provides the bread. In all
these the single thought that above all
Others should pr,dumnatr il, in any of
these contingencies We must look To our.
selves iu life aud it, comforts, and not to
the charities of the world and the great.
est dread Is fol the future of those who
swcetcn our lives and rob toll of its rough
hess. We think most of and for tie
females We love What then should hr
til" aim of rs ALL II does seem that com.
mon sense should teach ns Ia ignore silly
rf'Judices and t" educate our girls in
Elan! respects just ~ We do the boys.
Don't conceal from them the fact that lf,
has It's Nicis~Itudes. it, toll, aud cares Let
them Know that there il no reason VIII,
they should not tit Themselves for making
money, and their judgment will lead
thrm to do that which l. best
For oursrlf We do not hesitate 10 say
that were the care and training of f..
male lett to ~, We wnud see that she
learned som" way to MAX" "A living,
whether 1t was book Keeping. Telegraph.
my printing. ciciking, engraving ur any
one of the vari"u, caliug- demanded 10y
the necessary or luxurious wants of the
would. She shnnlh III hrrsrli in ,nmc ON,