The Iola register., 1889-05-24
COMPETENCY OF WOMEN.
Their Fitness For Public Service-The Tru
Standard of Strength.

well known for her large philan
thropies, received some years ago thi:
note from city official: "A. III. c.
Esq: Dear Sir.-Can you give any
just reason why you are not competent
to serve upon the jury? Answer
promptly, and oblige -" She
answered, with uncommon promptness
"Mr. ---: Dear Sir see nc
reason why | am not fully competent tc
serve upon the jury, and shall be happy
to do so at any time. shall be eighty
three next week, and am. yours, Abi.
gail H. c." There has been nc
more terse and vigorous specimen of a
womans letter, suppose, since that
celebrated one by Anne, Duchess OF
Dorset, to the man who demanded
somewhat imperiously her support for
a member of Parliament: Sir have
been bullied by an usurper; have been
neglected by a court; but / won't be
dictated to by a subject; your man
sha'n't stand"
Meantime the steady recognition pro-
ceeds of wOmens competency to serve
in variety of public and private sta
tions. Young scientific men, with the
German tradition fresh upon them. still
give us occasional magazine papers on
the smaller dimensions of a woman 5
brain; yet the practical world keeps
on Judging that brain, not by
the compass which measures it
but by the efficient thoughts
which proceeded from it. Out of the
small head of Byron came "Childe
Harold and the small head of Cuvier
began an era in natural history. There
is much to De said for the vigor of the
physical, and that is fine saying of
George Meredith's, that strength is
brute TRUTH" but the scholars OF a
nation are rarely as muscular as a
coal-heavers, and we must not make
physical strength too much the STAN
dard, whether for men or women. The
main argument for women was former
ly that they could do this and that if
they only had the training and the
chance. but now the argument is that,
having had the chance. they are doing
the work. A year or two ago. when a
large part of the lines of dicipline in
Harvard University passed through the
hands of an exceedingly resolute wo-
man. in the capacity OF clerk. it used to
dnli inb i,it 20 han
office to see some big athlete standing
hat in hand, before her, en-
deavoring to persuade Miss - that
her inexorable pencil was wrong, and
that he had really missed a few recita-
tions less than it recorded. l am not
aware that the oldest living graduate
ever knew an instance of her yielding
the point 1t was as if she stood as
Nemesis to restore the balance of the
sexes, and to avenge all wrongs implied
in the exclusion of her sisters from the
college books she kept.
1t is very common assumption that
the present preponderance of women
over men as teachers in our American
public schools is based on economy
alone: and that if our towns and cities
could only afford it they would employ
men. But while this consideration has
is influence, the change was really
BASED upon the principle, first formu-
ated by Horace Mann half a century
agO. to the effect that the educational
instinct is akin to parental, and that
more than men, are fitted to
manage children. Certainly the pres
mt writer had striking illustration OF
his in the first country school OF which
lie ever had charge as committeeman,
where two successive male teachers
lad been thrown out of the window into
! snow-bank by the big boys of the
winter school, and it was decided to
ubstitute woman. who within a few
weeks had those very boys enlisted in
decorating the walls with Christmas
In general it may be said
hat the more extended employment of
women even in public office has come.
lot from any outburst of theoretical |
egislatiOn. Lut by the gradual discov-
'ry that they are competent. Where |
hey have been elected on school COM
nittees or public charitable boards |
hey have usually been chosen first and !
he election made valid by law after
ward. 1t was not a legislative theory, !
tut the common sense OF the commun- |
ty which brought it about Because |
women were the natural custodians of !
hildren it seemed fitting that they |
hould be employed first to teach
chools, and then to superintend them.
Because they were naturally the house.
,eepers of the community, it seemed !
cry fitting that they should have some
hing to do with the joint housekeeping !
# the poor-house or poOr-farm. So
heir experience in dealing with the
lick fitted them to superintend hos
,itals, and their frequent necessity of |
the sinful led to their being |
'ut very properly on prison commits
ions. To all these things they have |
,roved themselves competent, on the |
Whole; and how far it will continue no |
me will predict.
So in all secular employments. 1t is
lot through agitation alone that wo-
nen have advanced to greater variety |
# occupations, but by verifying their
redentials and showing what they |
ould do. A hundred years ago it was
lard to name in this country any en-
'loyment pursued by woman which did
lot come under the head of housework. |
ewing, or teaching, with very little OF |
he last. In 1915. nearly half a century
go, the census of the city of Boston