The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-10-18
THE WORK OF WOMEN.
Mrs. Beecher Thinks Girls Ought
to Learn Housekeeping.
A LETTER FROM WHITTIER.
Mrs. Deacon Whites Home for Con-
sumptives-Mrs. Grant q Young
Looking Woman-Mrs. Palmer.

! Where and how shall we educate young
ladies'? These are questions often asked
but difficult to answer. Parents must de-
/ eide for themselves.
| In city SO well provided with every
facility for beginning the education of
children as Brooklyn, and for finishing it
as our whole country affords, it would
seem that there need be no difficulty in de-
| Gliding. No better schools can be found for
| little children; none better for those fast
| approaching manhood and womanhood.
The colleges and the professional semin-
aries all over our land are worthy Of all
| praise and confidence
We feel just pride in our country for so
| Literally and widely providing the best
/ educational advantages for all, but particu-
larly women. Vassar is, if we mistake
not, the nrst college for women ever estab-
hshed. Many others equally satisfactory
have sprung up since Vassar was founded,
and at no distant day may compare favor
ably with the older colleges for men.
| 1t Is difficult to answer many questions
that come to US respecting the education
of children. We lack confidence in our
own judgment. With all the educational
| advantages which surround US, it is still an
unsettled question with many, which is
better for our children. to educate them by
| private instruction at home, or at our pub
| lie schools and seminaries.
Our own early school life was so pleasant
| that, by experience, We cannot sympathize
| with those who hesitate about sending
| their children from home because of the
many disagreeable features and trials they
fear they will encounter.
No doubt that children educated at
home, under the most favorable auspices,
| may be more delicately minded more re-
! fined and less passionate and unruly, than
those who are made to trough it, with
large number of children of every variety
| of disposition. But we doubt if
children, particularly boys, brought
up under the most perfect system of
home instruction, are, when they arrive
| at mature years, as well able to meet
| future trials or cares, or as self-reliant as
those educated in large schools and COL
leges. 1t is hard to send our children from
home; but if not allowed to mingie with
children in youth how will they succeed
when called to take their proper places
when they reach maturity?
If taught at home children must have
some companionship. They go into the
streets sometimes and must meet other
children, and they are likely to gather good
or evil faster by contrast with transient
companions through its very rarity than if
it was part of their everyday life.
Those who have been trained and edu-
Gated in any of our excellent institutions,
and have entered upon life's most import
ant duties, and are acknowledged honest
and noble men, far outnumber those who
have fallen by the way
But in the institutions for the education
of our daughters-in the generous provis-
ions to insure them all desirable accom-
plishments and thorough training in all
healthful exercise, one department seems
to have been overlooked. We Gean full
and most thorough instruction in all that
belongs to domestic economy and house
hold management.
We are aware that some such labor is
expected in several of the female colleges
making beds, sweeping rooms washing
dishes, etc. But that is but small part
| of domestic education; and how much in
struction do they receive on those points?
| Who teaches them? When they go home
| on vacations, would their mothers accept
| their services if done as they perform
| them at school?
| If their school is too far away for them
| to receive some instruction from their
| every institution for girls a professor of
| household labor as well as of history,
! chemistry, French or Latin? One who
| fully understands and can teach perfectly
| everything pertaining to housekeeping,
| homemaking and things of that nature.
| If this course cannot be given at school,
| then the finishing touches to a young
| lady's education should be received under
! her mothers tuition In the home college,
| Until this is accomplished, no Young
| lady should enter that school for which
she has no vocation-the married state.
Lately the venerable poetWhittier wrote:
| lam glad TO see the call for general council
| ofphilanthropic womenSor the purpose of inyit-
ing the various societies of reform and progress
| in grand confederation which will conserve
| the highest good of the family and the state.
ana which VIII oppose every form of ignorance
! and injustice.
tits a noble idea and full of promise; we
| need the strength which comes from unity of
/ sympathy and purpose, / need not tell thee my
| dear friend, that shall watch the proceedings
| OF the council with deep interest and earnest
| prayers Tor Its success Thine truly,
JOHN G. WH1rrIEE.
That the value of a good name is above
price has had recent illustration in the
business failure of S. V. White, of Brook
lyn and New York. That which generally
| ELECTS harsh criticism-a failure to meet
! commercial obligations-in this instance
| only brought forth kind words and a spon-
| taneous sympathy that was eloquent of
the estimate in which Mr.. White was held
| by the business men of the country; and
the social feeling appears to be in the same
direction towards the family.
| out IN the suburbs of BROOKLYN there
stands large building. 1t is skillfullv
contrived so as To gather sunlight and
pure air from the east, the west, the
! north and the south. 1t is lit on every
| side by long windows environed by spa
| clous verandas, where invalids who have
| lost forever the power of locomotlon are
| wheeled about for a brief airing IN large
chairs; or where poor creatures who can
walk but slowly and painfully, may here
exercise little, or sit for while in view
OF the wide landscape before them.
Inside this house is fitted up with every
possible convenience to rest weary and
| worn out humanity. Its air-cushioned
| chairs are of the softest and finest. Its
| beds and bedding the most complete The
| food dispensed in il of the best and at
tendance carefulness itself: and all this is
done for destitute persons dying of con-
sumption who have no other home on
earth, and who watch from their beds or
from the windows here the passing days,
! for many of them, few in number
There are no rules in this house that
compel sick person, who may from pain
| be unable to sleep all night, to be Weakened
at any special hour for the purpose of eat
ing breaktaSt-or rather to get breakfast
| out of the way. The rule on the contrary
! is to let each sufferer sleep until he or she
| wakens, and then TO wait on them care
| fully, giving them just what they wish TO
| eat or drink for their refreshment.
This Is the Brooklyn Home for Con-
N N HsaA hxrM