The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1891-03-27
WHAT SHALL OUR DAUGHTERS DOE
BY Mrs. It. B. Walker, Minneapolis, Mimi,

BY Mrs. r. B. Walker, Minneapolis, MINI,
The day having long gone past when
the only object and end of wpman's
life is to ''get married" to anybody or
thing that will save her from the ter
rible fate of old maidism, it becomes
no light, or trifiing question: what
are the best, wisest and most attrac-
tive fields upon which our daughters
may enter, in which to struggle for a
living, with a fair hope of anhonor-
able position in life, and reasonable
return for the labor expended. There
must enter into the consideration of
the problem the questions of natural
adaptability. natural taste, mot
whim) health, social effect; as well as
the promise of remuneration.
No phase of the great changes that
have swept over our country in the
last so years have been so great as
the changes in the thoughts. desires,
and opportunities opening out before
women. Thirty years ago, Horace
Mann. one of the most advanced
thinkers Of those times, and one who
clamored most loudly for Woman's
right and liberty, to enter all fields of
labor in competition with men, even
he would have stood aghast at the
scenes of to-day which pass without
challenge. He said, II really see no
reason outside Of custom, why young
ladies should not stand behind the
counters of such stores as are visited
only by women, as Millinery etc.
or the simpler operations of
Bookkeeping, when she may aid her
father or brother, or even post books
at home, and while the world will
probably never demand women as
physicians, it is certain that in the
field of nursing, if she would take
time for study and practice, she might
greatly increase her natural abilities
as nurse and also learn to cover some
of the work of the physician, which
inhereS peculiarly to her SeX-with
profit to both physician and patient"
Brave man! He was far in advance
of the times in which he wrote. But
what would he say if he were permit
ted to return to Earth and look for
the scared women whom he was try
ing to lead forth into broader life.
To him, and such as he, are women
greatly indebted for their freedom of
to-day. A freedom which per-
mits her to enter any field, either
clerical, mechanical or professional,
for which she will take the time and
and trouble to fit herself. She may
literally teach, preach, or practice"
at her own sweet will. But all this
great enlargement of opportunity has
not been won without some sacrifices.
1t has come to pass that women have
shown a disposition to grasp at pres
ent advantage at the expense of fu-
ture profit; the result being that the
supply of bOok-keepers, clerks, type
writer's, ETC., has been over-met be-
cause for these only few months of
preparation, or none at all, were re-
CURED; while comparatively few have
felt willing to meet the Sterner de-
mands for study and thought, and the
sacrifice of time necessary to enter the
fields of Journalism, Law, Medicine,
or the Ministry.
The writer has been much impress
ed with the follyof this short-sighted-
ness in the effort of many women to
prepare themselves for that most no
BILE, most delicate, most profitable
profession, which stands at the right
hand of medicine, the Trained Nurse.
Having been for eight years connected
with a Training School, / have been
constantly surprised at the small
amount of preparation for it's truly
solemn duties, the majority of appli-
cants are willing to make. When our
school was first opened 1.-THE Training
School of the Northwestern Hospital
for Women and Children we were
obliged to put the term of graduation
at the ridiculously short period of one
year. Even then applicants would
say: "What I! a whole year to learn
nursing? Why | am pretty good
nurse already" What physician has
not groaned in spirit over these same
''pretty good" nurses when precious
life has hung in the balance, and the
weight of a nurses hand might turn
the scale for good or ill
But brief experience was enough
for us, and we settled firmly, that not
under eighteen months careful diSci
pline, and instruction would we start
out any young woman with our diplo-
ma and star, that said to the world
that she was fitted for the responsible
duties of the sick room.
Latterly we have again increased
the term Of instruction and practice
to two years, and are yet one year
short of what we believe would be re-
ally best. Would you trust a watch
maker with your expensive Chro-
nometor, or jeweler to set your dia
monds if he told you that he learned
his trade by listening to six weeks
course of lectures on the art of watch
making or gem setting? Yet it takes
a clearer brain, more thoroughly
trained eye, and DETER hand to aid
your physician in righting the disar-
ranged mechanism on which hangs
the life of your baby, than that of any
watch maker.
But of all the professions now open
to women of intelligence, health, and
courage | know of, none that offers so
great Opportunities for doing good to
the public, and at the same time so
renumerative, as the thoroughly trained
nurse. 1t offers special inducements
to the daughters of the farm or vii
lage when there is not an abundance
of means, since it does not require a
I d n