The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-10-23
HIeHRR EDUCATION FOR WOMEN.

the past than in the greater freedom
shall do and what vocation in life she
shall follow.
Passing over her condition during tho
dark and middle ages, consider her
position ut the beginning Of the present
century. Then, in ell but the rarest
and most exceptional cases, the only
career possible to woman was domestic
labor.
So monotonous and narrow was the
average life Of the female portion OF the
population at that time, that when tho
factory system was introduced into
some OF the Eastern States, many
women hailed as boon that glimpse OF
life they Obtained by going every day
for twelve hours to hard and severe toll
in the mills.
What changes have taken place since
then! In many portions OF our land TO-
day woman can choose her calling
for day, year, or for q lifetime with,
almost, as much freedom as q man.
With this increase Of opportunity
there arises corresponding increase OF
responsibility. This widening OF wo-
mans sphere is question to which we,
as women, cannot remain Indifferent.
Whatever our decision be in the mat
ter let us regard it ~ rnal, living
question worthy our best and truest
thcught.
Think what it means that woman ha
become pro minently tho teacher OF
the nations children and youth, and this
position she has attained, not because
Inf
to help her, but because sho does her
work 30 well.
Feeling the n"ed OF more thorough
equipment than she has hitherto pos
sessed for this work which the develop
ment OF circumstances has imposed
upon her, such an equipment rs will
enable her 20 compete on an equal foot
ing pecuniarily with her more favored
brother, she has knocked for entrance
at the doors Of our southern universities
to.fnd them closed and has been forced
to turn to tho less hospitable North for
those higher educational advantages,
that fuller and broader intellectual
development that alone can enable her
to do hor best and most skillful work
with the least discomfort to herself
The profession of teaching is one of
the few professions for women that pub
lie sentiment in tho South has not
placed its ban upon, and yet, as incon-
sistent as 1t may seem, Virginia TO day
pays only meager sum for the educa-
ton of her daughters in com parison with
the generous liberality wish which sho
has endowed colleges for her sons.
am sure that this is not as it should be-
am sure the South does not mean to
treat with injustice her women, whose
welfare in the past she has shielded
with such jealous care. She does not
mean longer to force them into North
ern universities, where they must nee.
essarily at times meet with conditions
uncongenial to Southern sentiment.
know there is a widespread feeling
among us that higher education OF
women will in some way touca a"d mar
the beauty of the home. l confess see
possibility Of this. II it makes woman
selfish in her ambitious aims, il it cul-
tivates the intellect and neglects the
heart, IL it follows what is merely otna-
mental and neglects tho prac sical, it
may become an enemy {, the home,
foe to marriage and a curse to children.
On the other hand l see far reaching
and grand possibility OF good in it.
Nothing is so we'll calculated to uplifs
and elevate bone as education. use
the word in its broadest truest sense
II a woman be educated as she should
be there is not nook nor corner OF hor
homo that will not feel her magic infiu-
ence. Parlor, pantry, dining room and
kitchen alike will be benefited by 1t.
Her table will be provided with the best
cooked and most wholesome food. Her
wardrobe Will ba the neatest and most
economical. Her hospitality will be- O.
the most charming and gracious kind.
This Is tie cas- in many educated homes
in our land today. Some day. hope, it
will be SO in all our homes.
No woman in the world c.n be such a
help and inspiration to her husband as
an educated woman. No mother Can DO
such mother as An educated mother.
Her knowledge and learning arc but so
much treasure TO pour into the lives of
her childrt n
If higher education is such a friend to
marriage and the home, what boon
may it prove to those women who never
marry and must in some way make
home for themselves. Think of the
noble, useful lives OF Louisa A'cott, the
Cary sisters, Prof. Maria Mitchell and
Caroline Herschal. There arc no moro
beautiful and successful lives known to
tho world than the lives of thess gifted
women. Think uf thu noble work done
at Rivington Place, n. Y, by that little
band of college gradu.tes from Vasser.
Wellesley ard Bryn Mawr, known as
the College Settlement These women
have been angels Of light, bearing the
torch of truth into many benighted
homo.
Look whore we will We fin1 educa lion
as life.giving principle, di. polling tho
night and issuing in the glorious dawn
Why is it that we hear so much of the
hollowness Of society to day? Is it not
because its votaries, however seriously
they may be afflicted with that dis.