Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-04-29
WOMEN IN EUROPE.
SeclusiOn of Young Girls In
France and Germany-Amer-
lean Ladies'.
Paris Letter.


Paris Letter.
1t is the custom all over Europe to
exclude young girls from any assocla-
ton with young men. In Germany this
separation OF the sexes begins in child
hood. Brothers and sisters have no
sports or exercises in common. Boys
consert wholly with their fellows and
girls with girls. With every increasing
yesr the distance widens.
The French maiden knows as little OF
the other hall OF creation as her German
sister. She is never. brought in contact
with a companion OF the other sex; has
no opportunity TO learn anything OF
them, of herself, or OF the terms OF asso-
citation between them. She looks upon
a young man as mysterious, wonder
full, fascinating and perilous being, who
is never to BE- represented to her mind
in any other character than that OF low
er or husband
THIS state Of things continues In the
case OF the women Of both countries un-
Ill a marriage engagement is formed.
Then the German woman goes into 4
second retirement in her husbands
home, her knowledge OF the male por-
ton OF mankind extending now to the
one man who has married her. The
French woman, on the contrary, bursts
for the first time upon the world. She
is invested with rights and dignities;
finds herself surrounded by men, is sub
jected TO flattering attention, feels the
charm of such intercourse, becomes con-
scious of her power-in short, she OBJ
taius the opportunity for her new study
under singular conditions.
We all know that the contrasting pic.
ture to this shows the young people OF
our own land IN constant communities
ton, meeting one another in every
friendly relation, beginning with the
close companionship and united pleas
ures of brothers and sisters, and contln-
uing through the various phases oil lie
with their different spheres OF associs'
ton. Their characters react upon one
perpetuslly through the most plastic
period OF their development.
The celebrated author OF the recent
"Letters from America, published IN
a Cologne journal, SAYS that an Amer.
lean girl is fairly competent Judge OF
a Young mans character. He adds that
the all of her seniors is no more neces'
sary 10 her here than it is required 10
regulate the terms OF her association
with her male companion or reinforce
the censorship OF her own self-respect.
These letters furnish the most remark
able testimony in regard TO American
institutions that has been made public
i'm Germany for some time, and have
excited much establishment and some
protest. The writer expounds what ne
calls, Think, the "unwritten Law" OF
American society, in a simple, lucid aud
extremely convincing manner. That he,
the sentiment which regulates the con-
duct of men toward women, and the
wide-spreading influence oil the latter:
IL mus. be conceded that systems OF
education and social conditions so dis
similar must modiiv their subjects IN
different directions. All this II, ~
course, Within limits.
4 do not desire TO venture on any
grave discussion or touch upon the
fundamental laws that govern human
nature. wish only to show that an
American girl is, in some respects, q
different creature from her sister on the
Continent, ami that there is mutual
friendliness, respect aud confidence be-
tween men and women, as class, in
America, ami a mutual knowledge of
each other which produces deep-reac',-
ing effects.
In Europe We see another order OF
things. 1t cannot be questioned that
both in France and Germany women
hold o high place. We know that even
in his barbarous state Lhe Teuton hon.
ored his women and was faithful in his
obligations to them, while the French
man is of course par excellence the vol
uble and rhapsodic adorer OF the ladies.
Yet all this is very different from the
sentiment that prevails in America.
The women prepared for their subse-
quent association with men by this pro-
lonyed isolation from them, must nat
urally exhibit its effects in that associa.
ton. Allowing for al the native in