The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1885-01-31
Educated Girls.
Are Men Shy of Them 9-Vassar Girls as
Old Maids.

Is the man of the period shy of the
educated girl of the period? that is the
question. Must the popular plea for
the high education of females encounter
the objection that a woman who has
read Virgil and the Kneid in the origin
al, and is posted on the diferential cal
culus, is therefore, and in direct conse-
quence, more unlovely? 1t is stated, on
what looks like authority, that out of
500 graduates of Vassar College, only
I88 have married since that climax of
career. Of course, in the case of some,
only a year or two has elapsed; but
most of them graduated year ago, and
some of them are old maids of the deep
est dye. What is the matter? 1t can
not be that they are so unattractive as
to have had no offers. Every Gill has
her Jack sometimes whole platoon
Of them,-and every girl can get mar
ried if she will. Does intellectual train
ing make girls fastidious, fnical, per-
haps-dificult to please, unwilling to
accept the honest hands of and sincere
hearts of youths less brilliantly veneer
ed?
1t tshould not have this tendency; for
in most of the happiest marriages in
the land the bride has nearly all of the
education. AS our industrial and social
machinery is at present managed, the
girls have better chance than the boys
to study; the wives than the husbands.
So, Notwithstanding the fact that the
most profound scholars of our time are
chiefly men who have had long, and
severe professional training, majority
of the educated people of the country
are women. Thousands of men who
make the best of husbands-not only
kind, amiable and tender, but shrewd,
intelligent and thoughtful-know moth.
ing of any language but their own, and
never in their lives used "were" to in
terpret the subjunctive mood. Armies
of girls have made a mistake in this
matter, unwisely scorning suitor who
spelled Separate with three e's, OF
who said ''it is me-" but who might
yet be a tender-hearted, sagacious and
even mentally profound man, worthy
of all acception.
In fact, we are by no means certain
that educated and professional men
make the best husbands. They are less
likely to keep regular hours, and more
likely to "talk shop" and to establish
the everlasting shops in the home than
are mercantile men, or brokers, or bank
ers, or clerks, or railroad managers.
They are more likely to be distracted,
even when their hands are not occupied.
Girls should remember that men o.
genius or of overshadowing literary tai
ent, have seldom made successful hus
bands. They almost always lack do
mesticity, and love ideas better than
their wives. Look at Shakespeare, who
lived at the theatre and the club, and
when he died, gave his wife merely his
"second- best bedstead." Think of
Milton, who was one of the most domi-
neering and uncomfortable of husbands
that ever tormented a gentlewoman.
Think of Byron, and Dickens, and Bull
wer, whose marriges were each hid
eous mockery. Think of Greely and
Raymond, not to mention other men
quite as famous, who have had little OF
no home life. Don't hesitate to marry
girls, because the gentlemen who pay
suit to you do not pronounce as you
have been taught to do, or do not al
ways observe the inhexible rules of Eng
lish Grammar.
An unblemished character is more
important than knowledge of music,
and good nature more desirable than
correct spelling. Better is stammer-
ing tongue, where love is, than five for
eign languages and heart with first
mortgage on it held by another girl.
Perhaps the sweet graduates of Vas
sar have been libeled, and the figure:
we have quoted are incorrect; but even
then, this little sermon can do no harm