Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-08-10
TEACHING THE GIRLS.
Opinions of Six Prominent Ladies' nm
Their Proper Education.
BRANCHES PURELY ORNAMENTAL,
Mrs. Senator Davis Makes Her Own Dresses
and Trims Her Own Hats.
WOMEN SHOULD BE sELF.SUPPoRTlNG
WRITTEN FOR THE DISPATCH.

/
| Probably there has never been time in
the worlds history when the subject of edu-
cation-in all its various forms and phases
and the social and political problems con-
nected with 1t have occupied SO large a share
of the earnest consideration of thoughtful
men and women as now. From Senator
| Blair, with his much-abused educational
bill, to Cardinal Gibbons, with his opposi-
tion to strictly secular schools, the subject
of instructing the rising generation is being
generally discussed in legislative halls, the
pulpit, the press, the country store and the
market place.
But of all the educational questions which
receive consideration in this hubbub Of
debate perhaps none other is of such vital
| importance as that of how shall our
daughtersb be educated? The wisest and best
method Of training the girls who
are to be the mothers Of the coming gen.
Grafton should take precedence over every
other educational consideration, since with
out good mothers we cannot have good men,
| and without good men we cannot have
| good Government or q great and prosperous
nation. Those best fitted to solve this all
important problem are the wise and good
mothers of to-day-the women who hold
|
have reared lovely daughters to ornament
society and to rise up and call them blessed.
| To obtain the views of such mothers on this
vital issue recently ELECTED from some of
| the best-known women in the public life of
our national capital the following ex-
pressions of opinion:
GEoFFREY WILLIsroN CHRISTINE.
Mrs. Window, wife of the Secretary Of
the Treasury, had this to say:
SHOULD BEGIN AT HOME.
'I think that young lady's education,
| like charity and every other good quality,
| should begin at home. She should, first of
all, be thoroughly instructed in domestic
duties. I should be very sorry to have a
daughter of mine assume the responsibility
| of home and house of her own without
possessing such knowledge. Perhaps it is
not essential that she should be perfectly
familiar with every trifiing detail, but she
should be sufficiently so to be thoroughly
mistress of her own house. Yet, how many
q woman there is of the Dora Copperfeld
type, who scarcely dares to give a servant
an order because she feels that in all such
matters she is goose and that the servant
knows she isl
"As regards the scholastic education of
girls, think knowledge of history and
literature very essential. The study of
mathematics is good mental discipline. but
many young ladies possessing excellent
ability in other studies have very little in
mathematics, and in that case I do not think
it wise to tax them with the heavier mathe-
matical studies. A knowledge OF modern
languages is very desirable. European
travel is now almost universal among peo-
pie of means, and q familiarity with the
language of the countries one visits adds
greatly to the pleasure of the trip.
Gas regards the purely ornamental
branches of a young lady's education,
think that the question of which is the most
desirable must be determined by natural
ability and inclination in each individual
case. think it foolish idea that every
society girl must be taught music, painting
and various kinds of fancy work, even
though she lacks the slightest trace of liking
or talent for either or all of them. If . girl
has musical ability and none in the painting
line let her devote to music all the time she
can spare for ornamental branches, and vice
versa. What folly it is for girl with no
music in her soul to spend years trying to
learn TO strum upon piano, having all the
time no more real perception of what she is
doing than a poll parrot has when it learns
to say Pretty Pollyl As soon as she
marries, or gives up taking lessons for any
other reason, she ceases to practice, and all
the time and money spent on her musical
education is completely wasted, for, while
she has no ability to learn, she forgets with
wonderful facility and soon does not know
one note from another.
"If young lady has no talent for music
or painting, but has gift for art needle
work, let her bend her energies in that
direction, or if she lacks talent for that, also,
but ieels that she.can be good COOK, let her
turn her attention to culinary art. She will
feel happier at the close OF lie to have the
sweet consciousness Of having made one pud-
ding than to know that she has slaughtered
half dozen Beethoven sonatas or painted
ten daubs called pictures by courtesy"
DOESN'T LIKE THE SOCIETY GIRL.
'1f they are educated to be good women,
with good common sense, they are pretty
sure to do the right thing at the right time"
said Mrs. William H. Miller, wife of the
Attorney General, when asked her how our
daughters should be educated. we hear a
great deal nowadays about the society girl,
and about now girls should be educated to
shine in society. For my own part I cannot
endure the term society girl, nor the idea
of having q girls education directed to
making her attractive in society. I believe
that what is called society in the personal
columns of the newspapers is but very
slight incidental part of every sensible girls
lie, and I believe that the girls who are
most attractive at home.
"From her earliest years every girl, no
matter what her station in life, should be
made to feel an interest in all that pertains
to home. Every good girl desires to help
her mother, and by doing so she gradually
becomes we'll versed in all hat pertains to
housekeeping.
what branches of what we usually un-
derstand by education girl should study,
must depend wholly upon her circumstances
in life and her natural predictions. The
higher education, OF which we have heard
80 much Of late years, I believe to be useful |
and necessary for some women. Above all,
I would have every girl taught to be self |
supporting. As regards what are ordinarily |
called accomplishments, they must be lett |
to the choice of each individual. 1t is no |
use to try to teach a girl music, painting or |
fancy work if she has no taste or liking in |
that way. In my judgment woman may |
be very accomplished without knowing q |
note OF music, a single color or the simplest |
fancy stitch. That woman is the most ac-
complished who can make herself the most |
agreeable.
Zone great point in the education of a
girl is to give her proper views of life. To
teach her habits of industry and economy.
She can not too early learn the great lesson
that every scrap of practical knowledge
which she may by any means be able to ac-
quire may at some time be useful Let her
learn to be always contented, cheerful,
good tempered and kind even under the
III 4