The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1888-02-04
why should Women Marry.

1t appears from tabular statement
published in Ha,pe,'s BaSar, on the au-
thority of the Association of Collegiate
Alumne (Which means girl graduates),
that of 2,6Io young ladies who gradu-
ated from twelve. American colleges
within flew years only thirty-eight
per cent. shave married and sixty-two
per cent are single. This is a remark
able fact. 1t must be assumed that
girl graduates are, as rule, better ed.
ucated than girls who have not enjoyed
their advantages. And it ought to be
admitted without argument that men
as rule perfer educated women to
ignorant women for matrimonial pur-
poses. Yet seems that the effect of high
er education among women is to reduce
their matrimonial prospects below the
general average.
1t will be said by fippant critics of
the sex that men are afraid of blue
stockingsSand prefer pretty dolls. b..
the class to whom this dictum applies
is small. Few men of common sense
deliberately choose partner in life
who cannot share their intellectual la
bors and pleasures. The more ignor-
ant the man the more surely does he
look for knowledge in his wife to sup
ply his own deficiencies, and the more
highly educated the man the more un-
likely is it that he will choose a wife
that cannot understand him. Girls of
transcendent beauty, who, like Caesar,
come, and see, and conquer, may dis
pense with the accomplishment that
are taught in finishing schools; but
when girl settles down to her work in
her second or third season she is apt to
find that ignorance is as serious draw
back as a red nose. Even for such
subordinate use as social conversation
education tells; reigning bellies who
have their pick of partners and escorts
are apt to have spent considerable time
in study. Why, then, is it that only
thirty-eight per cent. of the girl gradu-
ates find husbands to their hand1
1t is possible that the explanation
may be found in the reluctance of edu-
Gated women to marry merely for
home. A girl who is neither beautiful
nor gifted is taught that her destiny is
to marry, and if she neglects to weave
spider-webs to catch unwary flies she is,
reproached with disregard of her G
prospects. But girl who has receiy
higher education generally feels tt
at the worst, she can earn her o>
living, and that that will be better than
yoking herself with an uncongeniab
mate. If girls, like boys, could --H'nIO
the camp, court, field and mart, Ts1E
choose man to their liking, tSP
would probably be no old maids. PH
men would have the nerve or the chur-
lishness to refuse lady. But as it is,
girl must not speak till she is spoken
to; maidenly reserve forbids her to re-
veal her liking by look or act. 1t is
mere luck if man who is really to her
taste crosses her path on matrimonial
bound. Hence. th~ e.s-eat bulk of girls
marry, not the man who happened to
turn up when they had made up their
minds to marry; the ideal husband,
like the benevolent emperor, is happy
accident. 1t is possible that the girl
graduates have resolved not to run the
risk.
A social philosopher lately observed
that his highest hopes of the future of
this country rested on the due devel-
opment of the American spinster. His
idea was that there was vast fund of
intelligence which was lost to the world
through the marriage of girls who, if
they had remained single, would have
largely assisted human progress, but
whose abilities were wasted in nurseries
and kitchens. Possibly the girl gradu-
ates have something of this kind in
their heads. They may design to deny
to Peter or Paul what was meant for
mankind. The idea is probably un.
sound. Marriage, which cuts a small
figure in male development, is the es-
sence and foundation of the develop
ment of woman is full grown till she
has tasted the joys of married life and
maternity. But the sweet girls gradu-
ates are entitled to try their experiment
in their own way.