New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1880-12-22
Learn to Be Exact.

A model wife and mother whom we
know used to say that OF all common
phrases, she dislked most the one
which declared half done work to be
"near enough 1t is, she declared,
the gospel Of the shiftless, and strenu.
ously did she teach and practice that
nothing was ever ''near enough right
that could be made better. A writerin
the Eccni'ag Post deplorcs Il kindred
lack in women's training-thc lack OF
exactness. She says: One OF the
greatest difficulties had when begin.
ming to keep house was the utter inn
possibility of getting definite directions.
How often an earnest, almost despair
ing question was met with this reply:
son, about--this You must use your
judgmcntH' How seldom in the coun-
try, at least, can drcssmakcr be found
whom you may reasonably hope will
make both sides of your dress waist
alike and both sleeves of the same
length! In every department in life we
meet with it, and are annoyed by it..
How many notifications would q
woman be spared did she but cult
vate the habit of seeing what she looks
at; have known women of more
than ordinary intelligence in certain
directions who when lamp chimneys
were held in place by a screw, very
simple arrangement, never even at.
tempted to put a chimney on the lamp.
If thinking without words were posi-
BILE, | should say they thought without
words-that it was something quite be-
yond them, and they always took lamp
and chimney to some male member OF
the household to be adjusted. 1t is
often said that the excess of magma
ton, upon which some women seem TO
pride themselves, accounts for the ten
dency to inaccuracy. For my part l
am ashamed Of it, if it is this which 50
often causes a wife and mother to be
looked upon, even by those who love
her, as an amiable sort Of incapable,
whom they are fond of without being
able to respect much. There is q ter
riblc mistake somewhere in the educa-
ton of women, both at home and in
school. We are not taught that one of
the most important things in the world
to us is the ability to observe with
something like accuracy. Il strikes me
that about the poorest preparation a
girl can have for the grave responsible
ties which sooner or later are certain
to rest upon her shoulders, what
ever her position and surroundings
may be, is smattering of ancient and
modern languages, little music and
the discipline to be derived from these.
l have often thought if more attention
were paid by her to any OF the natural
sciences there would be some hope of
her acquiring habits of close and COZ
rect observation, and that q tendency
toward exactness and truthfulness OF
mind would be produced. But what
can be done by those of us whose edu-
cation so far as the schools are con-
cerned is indeed "fnished'! Only by
studying our failures can we hope to
find out why they were not successes,
and so correct bad habits. We may
help ourselves by cultivating taste for
conquering difficulties, not because
anybody is ever to know anything
about it, but because it is good to over
come. Above all other help is that
which comes from the intense conyic-
ton that whatever in anyway ministers
to the health and happiness Of the
home, whether it is great or small, is
worthy of our earnest thought. I have
often gained grace and strength by say
ing over to myself that bit from holy
George Herber- '
no sweeps a room for Gods law,
Makes that and the action fine
Golden RAE.