The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1890-04-30
THE STATUS OF WOMAN.


Professions and the Higher Callings.
In congratulations, upon any leading
ques ton, it becomes necessary to state
facts again and again. The public APP
parently is intellectually lazy, and com
prehends finally only after repeated and
reiterated argument.
1t is very evident, writes Mary H.
Krout in the Chicago Inter Ocean, that
the status of women has changed: it is
evident that continued and even more
radical changes are imminent, and, as in
all else, there is a moving cause.
TO the narrow, the prejudice, and the
ultra conservative but one reason is
proffered; women have become dissatls-
fed with the place assigned them in the
order of creation: with being the help
meet Of men, of rearing children, of at
tending to household matters which they
find monotonOus and irksome.
The progressive and the radical urge
that it is the natural consequence of
liberal education. The woman with
the Intelligent mind, the skilled hand,
with talent or genius, is entitled to
choose her work and do it, as men choose
the work for which their talent and
training have fitted them. Men are not
forced by any unwritten law to marry
and become fathers if they do not desire
to do so. The man who devotes himself
to his profession, on the contrary. is
Landed for his zeal and carnestness.
And it is urged that women also are en-
titled to like freedom of choice, and are
availing themselves of that freedom.
But there is still third cause, with
out doubt more potent than any other:
The necessity of working, of self-main-
tenance, and of providing for others. In
former times there were three avoca-
tions>open to women. She could earn
$l50 or So week with her needle; she
could teach for $50 a month, or she
could find employment as a domestic
for pittance and her board. In any
of the three her entire time and
strength and ability were required,
with no prospect of ever becoming in
dependent.
Now it has been demonstrated that
there is a demand for her services rs a
physician. Every consideration of pro-
priety and delicacy make it evident that
the woman physician is best qualified to
minister to the needs of her fellow
women. The demand is growing with in
creased intelligence, and the effort to bar
them outof medical colleges and societies
has been fruitless. Thoroughly educated,
competent women physicians have been
needed in every community and the
practice they have is only another illus
tration of the workings of the old law Of
supply and demand. They fill capably
other positions of responsibility; on
newspapers, in publishing houses, in Of
fees. They earn comfortable liveli-
hood as lawyers, even; as teachers in
schools, and as professors in the higher
institutions. There is an immense
amount of cant about their lack of SER
iousness and thoroughness and their UNI
reliability. The average woman COM
pares favorably with the average man.
She is probably, morally and mentally,
if not physically his superior, in that
units herself for the position which she
holds. In all these callings adequate
salaries are to be earned: the work is
congenial, and therefore "a constant
satisfaction and pleasure. Shall wom-
en-, then. because the professions are
those which have been allotted to men
heretofore. go back to the drudgery of
underpaid, joyless, hopeless work in the
kitchen, the school-room and the dress
makers shop? For, If the facts could
be ascertained, the women who stand
prominently before the world, because
of the positions they fill, the unusual
profession they have adopted, are not
inspired by mad ambition, by grasping
avarice, by rebellion against that decree
which has made them women; but by
memorable necessity. The daughter has
left her home to live among strangers
that she may not burdens father unable
to support her. She has chosen to earn
her living by those means most prof..
able, honorable and remunerative fol
which her talent has fitted her, that she
may not be dependent upon the brothe,
who will establish home of his OWL
and have nothing to give her after the
needs of wife and children are supplied
In possession of brains and reasonable
health. her pride and self respect forbid
that she should fasten herself like q
parasite on the household of relative:
whepe she may become burden.
In arraigning her for rushing madly
into the world, in sacrificing her natural,
womanly. maternal instincts for fame
and money, no one ever thinks of all these
things. lr her Utmost heart most WON
en- value the peace and the seclusion o.
l.n,c, the Devotion and companionshi!