The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1894-05-16

the cold, hard world by the loss Of their
protectors Every day we come across
some of these. and while an increasing
number have found positions Of late
years, as clerks 10 stores. the vast army
have had no other avenues open to
them except work as seamstresses or IN
cotton factories. 10 these latter, owing
to the fact that the manufacturing To-
dustries of our State have ouly devel-
oped in the coarser fabrics. their labor
has not been very remunerative, and it
is only sought as the dernier resort.
Any one who has visited the Northern
cities and factories is struck with the
painful contrast 10 the dress, demeanor,
Intelligence and evident prosperity of
the skilled female labor, compared With
that which we see here in the South.
We can and must change this.
IL the industrial department of this
college it is u intention to teach
everything aud have the students prac-
tice every industrial art that will lead
to independence. Music will be taught.
but only as au industrial art-iu other
words, with such proficiency only in
singing and playing as will insure
livelihood. As an ornament it will net
be taught at all, and those lacking in
special talent will not receive tuition in
it. But don't understand NE as mean.
inz that we intend only to fit those who
enter the industrial departments for
making their own support. We will
have a laundry, where the girls will do
their own washing and ironing. The
chemistry and practice Of cookery will
be taught aud everything connected
with housekeeping. The diniDg-room
and dress making departments, aud all
that goes to make up those thousand
and one things, which a woman has to
do to make a pleasant home, will be
taught in the best manner possible.
They will be taught by having them
done by the students themselves, for
We will have no servants except for the
drudgery work. All the distinctions Of
wealth will be done away with. Every
pupil in the school will be required to
wear a uniform, and a girls whole
clothing outfit, for a year, will cost not
exceeding $40 I'm getting in deep
water here, for Tm not altogether
skilled in this department ; but l know
every father and husband will sympa-
thize with our aspirations along this
line. [ will simply say, as a corollary
that I have a daughter of at boarding
school, who has BEEN gone nearly a
year. She carried off big Saratoga
trunk full, and her mother has sent her
SO many dresses since she left that she
will have to buy another trunk to get
back home with-and | am determined
that no girl shall ever leave the Win
throp College With or bring to it, a
Saratoga trunk.
There will be no conflict or rivalry
between the Normal and Industrial de.
partments. In fact, the normal stu
dents will be required to take indus
trial training in order that we may be
able to have manual training taught by
the Winthrop graduates 10 u free
common schools, when this feature
shall be grated 90 to our school sys-
TEN. as We hope to see done ere long.
Now. Pm going to do some very
plain talking. While our aspirations
and ambitions are all in the direction
of fitting women for s%elfsupport, both
as teachers and as followers of indus
trial avocations, / want it understood
that 1. at least. am irrevocably OPP
posed to anything being done or taught
here that will tend in the slightest
degree to rub the bloom of of the
peach. God forbid that this school
shall ever seudforth a~woman who has
been unsexed. We would have the
clinging. helpless creature, able to
stand erect aud walk !; we would have
the bird given wiugs-to fly from
home-seek q of independence;
but rever, never, never have any Of
the daughters Of South Carolina. who
shall be trained in those walls, by rea-
son Of the strength and self reliance
which we hope to impars here, become
other than helpful wives and happy aud
self respecting mothers. Womsn's
special providence 10 life is that of a
home-maker. Her greatest glory, her
proudest distinction, the object of her
creation in fact, is that Of motherhood.
"Woman, Gods last, best gift to
man." is associated with all that is
brightest and noblest and best in
mems lives. As daughter, sister,
sweetheart. wife, mother, she Is III
spiration and a solace. As a wife she.
doubles mans joys and halves his sor-
rows, simply by sharing them ; but the
highest. purest, most self-sacriiclpg love
in the world is that of a mother. 1t is