Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-05-06
When Il Girls SchOOldayS are Over.
Cassell's Family Magazine.
What am [ to do after SCHOOL,"

"What am | to do after schOOl?"
This is question asked, believe, by
every schoolgirl some time or other as
she gets older; and to answer it is by
no means SO easy as some people imag-
inc.
The leaving of school is, think, one of
the great crises of girls life. The per-
iod ended has probably had all clearly
mapped out with guidance and direction
given. The future is now full of vague
and shadowy uncertainty, and. the beauty
and completeness of wOman's life will
depend mainly on the girls own exer-
tiOns.
Every girl has three distinct lives to
live, and on the observance, combination
and due proportion of these lives de-
ponds the good that she may leave behind
her in the world. They are:
L. Her life to herself.
2. Her life to her family.
3. Her life to the community.
1t is certain to begin with, that in each
of these three there must be some set
tied plan of action.
That girl who lives on from day to day
in idle, desolutory manner, with no aim in
view but amusement, makes her life, in
stead of great harmonious whole, mis-
cradle failure-the life which has been
given to her as very precious, and as some
thing to be rendered strict account of in
a day to come.
The first kind of life is too much too
solemn thing for any one to NEEDLE
with. 1t is that inner spiritual life which
exists i'll every person, whether rememb-
cred or not About this would only
ask that girls would keep in mind the
great injunction, "Quench not the Spirit"
Secondly, there is the life to the fam
lily. The guidance of this does not lie al
together in the power of a girl; she had
probably a recognized position in the
household from her age and capabilities;
bat whatever it may be, chief or least.
one principle should guide all else-the
spirit of self-sacrifce.
1t is the third life, however, about
which [ waut particularly to say few
words What can girl do to help the
community in some way?
Teaching, at present, is the greatest
and noblest profession open to women.
If that is entered upon direct from school
there is little fear of life being wasted in
an idle, desultory way. To many girl,
teaching, I know seems dreadful drudgery
but then with it there comes, sooner or
later, the satisfaction of having been a
labOrer III the grandeSt Work OF an life
the spreading of knowledge.
Teaching, however, is not for every
girl. With some, circumstances do not
require it, and social position does not
admit of it. To such l would say, do not
give it up altogether; if you cannot make
profession of it, you can, at least, teach
the poor of your neighborhood in the
Sunday school, &c. Let not this branch
of the work be despised, for it is one OF
the most difficult, and to do it properly
requires much preparation. Then there
is parish work of other kinds-such as
district visiting of which, if engaged
in, keeps a girls life from being fail
ure.
Some girls-and the number yearly in
creases-have the opportunity of going
to one of our woman's colleges at Oxford
or Cambridge. The course entered upo1
there is truly harming one; but an OBJ
lection often urged against it, is that i
makes girls very selfish. In very few
cases this is, l am afraid, true; but VIII,
should seIfshness be a necessary accom-
paniment to university training? Tht
knowledge and experience gained at col
lege in most cases benefits the commu