The Newtown bee., 1880-02-04
FOR THE FAIR SEX.
The Training of Girls.


 The Training of Girls.
 The Rev. W. Gladden., of Springfield, Mass, recently sent out circulars 10 mothers in that city asking: l. What are the most common defects in the training of our girls? 3. What prin- ciples of conduct are most important, and what habits are essential to the de- velopment of noble and useful woman hood? At public meeting the results of his inquiries have been given. Fe- male habits of dress were referred to as more injurious than male habits. Most women, too, take much less outdoor ex. ercise than is good for them. The lack of exercise is largely caused by foolish dress, which makes active exertion inn possible. It is generally of improper nature and unsuitably adjusted, and creates many of the nervous diseases of women. Another mistake on the part of many girls is in passing their time out of school hours in idleness and frivolous amusements, doing and learn ing nothing. The speaker thought that more is done in wealthy families to teach the daughters habits Of industry than in those of moderate circumstances. A correspondent referred to one woman who says she is proud that her daughter never did any sweeping; another would not let her child do any kitchen work. Another mistake is to make dress the main business of life. One letter re- | ferred to a woman who said over her young infant, "I am so glad it's girl, 1 can dress her so much finer than could boy" and MT. Gladden. added "Oh, woman, to what depths of degra- dation have you fallen when you can | look in the face of baby and have such a thought as that find lodgment for an instant in your mind ! What can such a woman do but destroy the sou 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 a husband only by fine dress too often finds that the prize she has won is a broken heart. The next mistake is in | devoting too much time to novel read | ing, which excites morbid and unreal ideas of life and craving that can never be gratifed. It is mental dissi- patton of a dangerous character scarcely less so than that of drink. An. other mistake is too early initiation into the trivoljties of society. The average young lady of Springfield, according tc the lecturer, makes her debut at three when she begins to go to children'E parties in dress elaborate enough for { fancy bali, and is instructed in the arts of vanity and coquetry. At six or eigh she is member of clubs, and enjoys ire quent evenings out. One good woman wrote that she had the heartache tol the unnatural, unhealthy and stimulat ing excitement of the roller skating rink, which has none of the advan tages of outdoor skating. The las error alluded to is the neglect to homo an obey parents. Some sad instance were brought forward to show that to- often girl of thirteen regards hersel as her own mistress, and passes he time at parties, sociables, etc., or ol the street, instead of studying. A core spondent narrated the facts about fou respectable families in one congregation in the city, in three of which there wa one daughter each and in the othe there were three. Each of the first thre left school when she wanted to, passe, as much time on the streets as sh pleased, and is now by-word and
 reproach. The other three likewis | went to rI1in while their DarentS yypr attending the prayer meeting, and pro fessed to know nothing of their daugh ters' habits.