Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1890-01-13
,o-calied aaccomplishmeuts'' Of the modern

so-calied accomplishments Of the modern
girl are undergoing q radical change.
The useful is beginning TO supersede the
superficial IN only every father would
have his daughters technically taught some
profession or business, in the same way
that his sons are, he may safely leave the
rest Of the matter to the girls themselves
Provided with the means of Independence,
they will readily find way to utilize it.
and with women ready TO face the work a.
day world, a thousand new ways will be
found in which they may profitably busy
themselves without encroaching on the do
mans Of man. Thoroughness is what we
want. It is one of the rarest qualities in
the world, and the woman or girl who has
learned to do even the simplest task with
absolute and perfect thoroughness is never
likely to fail for want of occupation. There
is abundance of demand for such as these.
Thoroughness, even in some simple matter,
develops conscientiousness, which, indeed,
may be called part of true thoroughness
And what a rare treasure is the conscien-
tious, thorough woman when foundl En-
gland is full of failures, both men and
women, who have failed from lack of this
very quality. That women should fail is
only to be expected, for they have enjoyed
no advantages Of training or special educa-
ton as men have 1t is almost impossible
TO get q good governess who com bines with
the talent of teaching the no less important
faculty of moral training, The great mass
Of nursery governesses and companions are
absolutely inefficient, these two occupations
being only resorted to by those who are
quite incompetent to follow any other.
1t is almost equally difficult to find a satis-
factory dress-makor or seamstress They
M nc or1xy al cfr 4
to coin word But with special training
and technical teaching a new era may be
hoped for Women have been wasted, for
the most part, until now, and with the de-
velopment of their working faculties will
come great surprise for those who have
for so long period underrated their DOW
ers. Woman has till lately been regarded
rather in the light of a cadenza in music or
a flourish in caligraphy; something orna-
mental which has no absolute rdison d'etre
and which could easily be spared.
There is just this germ of truth in the
idea that we are certainly supple
mentary, SO to speak; and in look
ing about for occupation we must
bear that fact in mind, and seek
for work that is supplementary to that of
men. We shall thus have better chance
of success than we would be likely to Sc
CurO ny COlulnS ulreCIly luUO COmpeJlUlOn
with them. This idea may seem abject and
''very tumble" to some of the strong
minded ladies Of whom we wot, and whose
device appears to be, aut Cesar, dut nullus;
but, after all, there are thousands of women
who very much prefer the situation of
C@sar's wife to being Caesar himself; and
who, from choice, select those occupations
that appeal to the more graceful fancy of
that need her lighter touch, her
delicate sense of neatness and order, and
appeal to her especially just because she is
an educated gentlewoman, and not man..
Twenty years hence it will be found
that numbers Of new and now undreamed-
Of occupationswill be open to Englishwomen,
and they will be able to rejoice in the
pleasing circumstance that no man need be-
wall the surplus of unmarried women, but |
rather that all sensible male beings (there |
will be more of that sort them will con-
gratulate themselves upon the fact that
there is an unmarried surplus to make the |
outside world pleasanter and brighter, and |
10 make many things go smoothly that now
Jar and creak and work Enthusiastically for
want of the gentle and discriminating
ouch of the well-trained feminine hand
Mrs. Humphrey, in London Society.