Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1893-04-13
THEORY AND APPLICATION.
Nothing But the Latter VIII Give Woman
the Training She Needs.


the Training She Needs.
In discussing the part that women
have taken in public affairs within the
past few years a gentleman recently
objected on the ground of their lack of
experience. lie did not explain how
experience was to be had except by
actual work in the field, whatever and
wherever it may be.
When the unframed girl starts out to
find employment she knows very little.
1t is a rare thing that she has been
taught or has the opportunity of learn
ing the requirements of her chosen call
ing in her own home. If she intends
to be a stenographer or book-keeper
she goes to business college. If she
wishes to be teacher she goes to school
and then completes her course at some
university or normal school. But even
then she admits that she has acquired
the theory only, and that theory and
practice differ most amazingly and un-
expectedly To obviate this difficulty
there are in all the best institutions for
the training of teachers-the last in
struction given-what is called train
ing school. Here the woman who has
mastered arithmetic and algebra, sci
ence and literature, must learn how to
instruct and discipline. Were she to go
on acquiring theories for twenty years
and fail to apply them she would prob
ably be total failure. knowledge that
falls short of application is productive
of little good.
1t is frankly admitted that in their
clubs and societies and conventions
| women do make some absurd blunders.
But there is no quicker method of learn
ing how to do the right thing than to
blunder in the face of an audience that
will not fail to observe and comment.
1t is like child putting its hand in the
fire-painful, but sure to prevent a
repetition of the fault.
Women have morbid horror of be-
ing ridiculous and when they misapply
the principles of parliamentary rule
and see the mistake graphically de-
scribed in the morning paper, whatever
they may do, or whatever offense they
may commit, it will not again be just
that particular one. They learn more
in one session of convention than they
could acquire by two years poring over
Roberts Rules of Order" and, in fact
it is the only way in which they can
learn.
The same is true of clubs. Observe
any club of several years experience,
how much more dignified have the pro-
ccedings become, how much more COM
prehensive is the programme, the
themes selected and their manner of
treatment How thing really appears
can never be proved until it is submit
ted to the disinterested Our friends,
our relatives are not competent to pass
an unbiased opinion upon either our
speech or deed. Their affection blinds
them and their partiality warps their
Judgment The stranger has no such
sentimental scruples. He sees, hears
and knows the stern reality. The OBJ
lection urged against women in con-
ventions and societies was also pro-
nounced upon the woman in journalism.
1t was charged that she had had no dis
cipline, that she had never been trained
to think, to observe, judge judiciously
and diipassionately; hence she should
not be permitted to write of anything
but the chance and change of fashion,
ana how to make home happy. But il