The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-04-24
SHALL MARRIED WOMEN rEAcHq

SHALL MARRIED WOMEN TEACH?
Reasons Advanced why They Should Not
Be Prevented From Teaching.
Editor WOnldn'S Column, Morning Gail:
Ever and anon great excitement prevails
among married women teachers and their
friends because of the periodical effort
made to forbid them teaching in the public
schools; aud, as common in discussing the
woman question, the reasons against never
touch the root of the matter. If it is right
for one half of parents-meu-to decide
every question of public Importance with
out considering the rights of the other half;
without considering with women the inter-
ests of the children of the home which
shelters them; If women have no natural
rights which men are bound to respect,
or if they have no rights except what men
may choose to permit them to enjoy; if the
"self-eyident proposition that all men are
endowed by the Creator with an inalienable
right to life, liberty and the pursuit of hap
piness" means that in the case Of the wife
men (womeu) these " inalienable rights
are to be doled out according to the iudg-
ment of mem-then it is inconsistent for
women 70 protest. They should not aspire
to any place that men care TO till-only be
thankful il extra privileges are granted,
and when withdrawn be meek,
NOT PRESENTING TO JUDGE.
Theirs to obey not asking why. If, on the
other hand, it is unjust to forbid women to
teach, for no other reason than that they
are married, it must be because there are
inherent rights in women, and If so, the
nation imperils itself when it ignores them
1t does seem very strange that republic
should deliberately decide that certain of its
subjects, native born, not to blame for be-
ing here, of more than average worth and
ability, may not do useful work; when Rus
STA issues such edicts we are quite excited
over the desp0tism, but constantly just tina.
question is mOoted and voted on In the United
States of America, and American men do
not seem to see that in triflng with the
rights of women they are endangering their
own, and the only reasons gwen are I'M
worthy the name. They say married
women have husbands to support them y;
the old idea prevails that women are Sup
ported, yet 4 woman who does not work IS
seriously blamed. The need Of the tndi-
vidual has nothing to do with rights, If God
has given ability that is charter for its
use, and no one has right to interfere until
it is used Tor evil. In the first place no
single woman can possibly need" work as
MARRIED WOMEN
Sometimes do; and tied as they often are by
worthless or sick husbands or by children.
they are the most unfortunate class of wage
earnerS-not very noble game Tor munich
paIties to attack. But suppose married
teach? If she is a good worker her serv-
ices are needed; teachers are born, not
made" And if she has talents the world
needs them; and it is not only unjust but
extremely injurious 10 the State to forbid
her to use them. What would be thought OF
the forbdding of married women to sing, TO
play the piano, to scrub, to wash, to sew,
to do any work outside their dUmlciles, yet
it would be no more unjust. But you say
"She must not receive Government salary,
thof 10 oil n n n
sumed to educate the children Of the coun-
try, as it has to carry our letters; both have
been natiOnaliZed and with few exceptions
whoever does this work at all does 1t as
Government officer; yet, after the Govern
ment has monOpOlZed the business, It turns
to women and assumes the right 10 say, "Yeu
may have the children, but they are not
yours; you shall have no voice as to the
quality OF education which ! shall give them;
you have
NO RIGHT TO BE CONSULTED
Or to share in the work, and l shall only
permit your work as subordinate, with no
power except as delegated from me, and
whenever l choaSe to drop you entirely |
shall do So and if you still insist that you
have rights, shall sneer and call you
strOng-minded." This class legislation is
the essence of injustice; men are debauched
by their own sophistres and every woman
vino assents to it helps to undermine the
few rights already granted. If Govern
ment has a right to debar married women
from teaching, it may debar single women;
it may forbid woman to obtain an educa-
ton, as it.nOw forbids her using it in most
positions of honor and trust; it may put her
back into the harem and turn the key upon
her Once grant the right OF part TO leglS-
late for the other half without authority
from that half, and human rights are I'M
dermined; one-half of men may legiSate
for the other half rs a Gar may usurp the
liberties of all it Is the dangerous doctrine
that might makes right aud there IS no
higher law. No wonder that Boss is King,
and men stab their own freedom by train
ing in his rings. The true theory is, let
each one do what he pleases until he
pleases to injure another, then hamper him
for public good Employ the best teachers,
not because they are men or women, or mar
RED, but because they have knOwle dye, high
purpose, an understanding of children and
ability to enthuse the intellectual and moral
nature. Such, and such only, are fit TO
teach; and whoever have these qualities
cannot be kept from their use without loss to
the State and
INJURY TO SELF.
1t Is like fire in their bones Doubtless by
our system many married wo men teachers
are poor; so are many single women, many
men. Our system offers little reward to
fidelity at high standard. So long as I'M
educated people rule the teachers. the
standard will be low. But married woman
has a better chance than any other to know
men and women too; to know the home in
fiuence; to know little children and their
limitations; to know what will help them
especially if the are mothers they
have experience that can but help
them. They may be poor teachers for all
of that but not because of it. If the stand
ara so unjust is admitted, why not apply it
to men? No man of means should be per-
mitted to do business, he does not need"
it. The son OF no man of means should be
permitted to use his talents in the profess
sions, because such places are needed for
the poor, and such boys can be supported
at home. 1t would be urged that those de-
prived Of choice of pursuits would lose
the development of their faculties. Woman
has lost in just that way all during the ages,
and buth SHE and her sons suffer for it to-
day, or the propositions would never be
seriously made to prevent woman by law
from doing useful work. from nsing her
talents. S. NJ. SEVERANCE.
gIroU. ADJu 1891