The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-06-27
We Plead Once More with the Girls.

Fifty-two young women were graduated
| from the Training Department OF the Nor
NAL College on Wednesday, and 274 from the
college proper on Thursday. This is the
college which specifically prepares its stu
dents to he teachers, and 1t Is therefore
professional school attended by young
women who are getting ready for the seri-
GUS work OF making their living.
But when we read the names OF large
part of these graduates we find that they
are applications which suggest rather gay
and giddy view Of life and Its Responsible
ties. They arc not the names OF ma
ture and serious women, but OF the pets
| and playthings OF the nursery We can
not associate with them the dignity and
the consequence OF teachers occupied
with graver matters than dolls and
curl papers, and with stern duties
rather than with the ease and pleasures OF
existence. They do not betit young women
who arc starting out to prepare themselves
for an exhausting profession. and are no
longer rocked In cradles or guarded from
the cares and hardships Of the world by
dotlnS domestic affection.
Twelve OF tho class OF ffty-two In the
Training Department and about fifty OF the
274 graduates OF the college sign themselves
with moro pet names ending In lie, as II they
had no other, and from manifest preference
for the nursery diminutives. Among these
are BESSIE, JENNIE, NELLIE, CARRIE,
BIRDIE, MAMIE, ADDIE, and FANNIE, no
real names at all, but only appellations
coined by the familiarity and tender
ness OF privileged relatives and init
mates. What BRIDES baptsmal name Is
we cannot guess, but tho true names Of the
others are ELIZABETH, JANE HELEN. CARO-
LINE, MARY, ADELINE, and FRANCES. all
feminine designations Of distinguished his
tory, noble dignfied. and euphonious.
But these girls look upon them as too
homely, too old-fashioned. They think
name ending in lie ia much prettier and more
engaging and SO it may be in its proper
place and as an expression OF affection
from those who are entitled by kim
ship or long and close acquaintance to
use It in addressing young woman. But,
all the same. 1t Is II pet name and nothing
else. 1t Is 10 more the real name OF n woman
than JOHNNIE or BOB, SAM or jim are the
true names Of men.
Yet the girls still insist on using such
diminutives as If they were their formal ap-
pellations; and sometimes they carry them
through life, printing them on their cards
and signing them to formal documents,
taking them to tho marriage altar,
and giving them for newspaper pub
LEGATION. They think 1t nice to do
this, and. yet in truth 1t Is vulgar.
and detracts from the estimation in which
women OF character, ability and dignity
should be held. They invite prcsumptuous
familiarity. They keep their bearers forever
In the nursery
Why. oh why, will SO many love-
ly. stately. splendid, self-respecting
girls persist in the petty and homogeneous
practice? Alas. alas! we have tried in vain
to make them do otherwise. They insist on
compelling us to publish them as II they
were little tots In pinaforcs.
How fine are these names Of other OF the
graduates: ETHEL, EDITH, FLORENCE
ALICE, KATHARINE, CHARLOTTE, MABEL
HARRIET, WINIFRED, and GERTRUDE; and
how much better they bent young woman
hood than ETTIE, FLoRRIE, EDIE, ALLIE,
KITTIE, LoTTIE HATTIE, WINNIE, and
GERTIE!
But this Is a department Of reform upon
which we enter with little hope of win
ming distinction by overcoming feminine
opposition and improving the fcmi-
nine taste. The girls think they are
beyond tho need OF such instruction, and
we have not the hardihoOd to chide them as
thoy deserve. Besides, whatever their
names. does not their lovclness remain the
same, irresistible and beyond comparison