The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1893-01-07
TRAINING FOR HoUsEwoRk.
One OF The Things That u Mother Owes te
q Dauehter. S

F.
One of The Thing. That Mother Owes to
- Daughter.
1t is common. thing for mothers,
who, like Martha of old, are numbered
with many things, to forget the need OF
their daughters for practical training
in the very household duties which have
formed the greater part of their own
life work. 1t is fashion of late wears
to apply the harsh term of ''drudge'' to
the plodding household worker, who
has no time in the stress of her worldly
cares forthe many amusements and du-
ties that belong to more leisurely life.
We are wont to hear it said that all
women ought to do thus and so, and
ought to enjoy this thing and the other.
just how such social changes are to be
brought about these would-be reform
ers fail to tell u.s. With the sang froid
OF the Frenchman who criticised the
solar system as poor piece of mechan-
ism, they proceed to judge the work of
an infinite Providence with finite eyes.
1t is not at all likely that an All-wise
Father intended that all women should
occupy the same station, but that they
should be fitted into different kinds of
work, as best suited their own spiritual
development 1t seems to be certain
that the vast majority of women are in
tended to be- house workers, and it is
the duty of a mother to train her daugh-
ters to this work. Important as the
house-work of a family is to the health
and happiness of mankind, it is
one to which women are rarely
trained. They#are educated in super
fcial accomplishments, in the classics
and foreign languages and in the high
er mathematics, all of which are valua-
Bile for the discipline and culture of the
mind
But it is our duty to look to practical
matters also. It has been proved by
statistics that college bred women make
the best mothers, as fewer of their
children die in infancy proportionately
ito the children of 8uneducated mothers.
Education has made them wiser and
more capable, and, though the matter
may be difficult to settle BY statistics,
it may we'll be argued on exactly the
same premises that they are better
housekeepers, better wives, as well as
better mothers, the sphere of their use-
fulness being enlarged just as their
minds have been developed. In fact,
the present demand for the education
OF women in practical matters comes
from college-bred women, who know
the value of specific training.
While the cooking school accom-
pllshes the very best results. in purely
culinary training, the most practical
and most valuable training in house
hold matters is that which the capable
and wise mother gives her daughter in
the limits of her own home. 1t istoften
insisted that this manner of ofspractical
training for girls is a one-sided affair in
which there is no equivalent offered in
the education Of boys This is a mis-
take. We have. an example of the lack
OF practical training in that despicable
specimen whom, for want of better
name, we will call the ''dude" The
sensible father gives his son training
in practical matters which teaches him
to be useful about the house, and capa-
bic of taking his place when he is away
from home -. :
II a girl receives "a thorough mental
training in school or college, that is no
reason why she should not also receive
the practical training which fits her for
home life. Nor should the practical
training take the place Of the mental
training at school, which fits her for a
life sof the highest usefulness. IN. Y.
Tribune.