Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1880-02-13
The Training Of Girls

The address of Rev. Washington Glad /
d,n Mt the North church last evening
on the training and habits of girls was an .
admirable reproduction of the views OF .
40 of the most iudicious mothers in the .
city. The circular sent out to IL large
number of women, to which ~ answers
were received. asked these questions |. /
What are the most common defects Ill the
training of our girls? ,. What princi-
pies of conduct are most important, and
what habits are essential to the develop
ment of IL noble and useful womanhood?
The replies naturally afforded lessons for
mothers as well as daughters
The first mistake ON the part of the
girls which was characterized is careless
ness about health. Female habits of
dress were referred to rs more injurious
than male Most women. too, take much
less outdoor exercise than is good for
them, a fact which one letter illustrated
through the regret of the writer that when
she was young she couldn't be outdoors
like her brothers. The lack of exercise
is largely caused bv foolish dress, which
makes active exertion impossible 1t is
generally Of improper nature and I'M
suitably adjusted, and according to one
core spondcnt creates many Of the nerv
VOWS diseases of women. Another mis-
take on the part Of many girls is in spend
ing their time ont of school hours in
idleness and frivolous amusements, do
ing nothing and learning nothing. The
speaker thought that more is done i'll
wealthy families to teach the daughters
habits of industry than i'll those of moder-
ate circumstances. A correspondent re-
ferred to one woman who says she is
proud that her daughter never did any
sweeping; another wouldn't let her child
do any kitchen work This habit was
described as fostering selfishness and
hardness of conscience, besides Incidence,
and mothers who allow it lose the res
spect of their daughters. and prepare for
them miserable future. Almost every
one of the 40 mentioned this evil. The
third mistake is to make dress the main
business of life One letter referred to n
woman who said over her Young infant,
IL am ST. glad it's girl, | can dress her
50 much finer than could boy, and
Mr. GLADDEN. added, 80. woman. to what
depths of de9ration have you fallen when
you can look in the face Of baby and
have sucha thought as that find Judgment
for an instant i'll your mindi What can
such woman do but destroy the souls
of her children" Still he thought the
women not wholly to blame, because
their vanity is stimulated by the foolish
admiration of men the girl who catches
husband only by fine dress too often
finds that the prize she has won is a
broken heart The next mistake is i'll de-
voting too much time to novel reading.
which excites morbid and unreal ideas of
life and craving that can never be
gratitied. 1t is mental dissipation of a
dangerous characterize scarcely less so
than that of drink Another mistake is
too early imitation into the frivolities of
society. The average Young lady OF
Springfield, according to the lecturer
makes her debut at three, when she be-
gins to go to childrens parties in dress
elaborate enough for fancy bail, and Is
instructed III the arts of vanity and
coquetry. At six or eight she is II member
of clubs, and enjoys frequent evenings
out. One good woman wrote that she
had the heartache for the unnatural, I'M
healthy and stimulating excitement of the
roller skating rink, which has none of
the advantages of outdoor skating. The
speaker vigorously condemned this whole
system Of child abuse, and the wickedness
of parents i'll yielding to a bad social
custom. The last error alluded to IS the
neglect to honor and obey parents.
Some instances were brought forward to
show that too often girl of Is regards
herself as her own mistress, and spends
her time at parties. sociables, etc, or on
the street, instead Of studying. A cor
respondent narrated the facts about four
respectable families in one congregation
i'll the city. in three Of which there was
one daughter each and in the other there
We're three Each Of the first three left
school when she wanted to, spent rs much
time on the streets as she pleased and Is
now a byword AMI reproach. The other
three likewise went to ruin while their
parents were attending the prayer meet
ing. and protested to know nothing Of
their daughters habits.
The principles and habits which should
be formed were announced simply as the
converse of these evil habits into which so
many of our girls are failing. The are
such virtues as industry, thoroughness. in
dependence, respect for character. wheth-
err i'll high or low, rich or poor, and i'll
conservation term which involves re-
lation to God and to duty.-Sprig-
ftId RfDuLIcdH