The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-26
ONE NEEDED SCHOOL.

The Women's Congress will leave many
waves breaking on the shores of our civil
Zation. An observer of the course which
this congress has taken will have seen that
its efforts have taken no account of climate
or geographical definition. In appealing
to the concrete woman it has addressed
the women of all Christian lands. This is
altogether admirable and could hardly
have been otherwise; but unless there
come out of it a series of strictly local
movements, set in procession by our own
women whose ambition for the good of
their sex has been reused, we shall fear
that one of the most valuable sequels of
the congress has gone astray.
1t was not to have been expected of the
distinguished visiting women, who have
led the congress, that they should be IA
mlliar with the many avenues for dis
tinctively feminine employment which
are made possible by the peculiarities of
our climate. But they will carefully agree
with US in the declaration that if we have
in California peculiar avenues for the en-
ployment of feminine dizziness and adapt
bility, and that if from seizure of these
conditions our womankind can enjoy
special privileges, which will operate to an
advancement of their general scheme of
progress, it would be a neglect of duty to
ignore them.
Suppose, for instance, that we could be
brought to realize the possibilities which
might be developed out of scientific fiori-
culture in California. Then we should
start with the postulate that peculiarly
genial climate extends our local horizon in
Ia ord for ho
of those who have acquired smattering
OF Horticulture in the Eastern States. And
yet it is startling fact that among all the
f1ower-growers of California there is but
one woman who has taken rank with the
leading men in the business. This is Mrs.
Theodosia Shepard of Ventura, who as an
invalid came to California to grow flowers
for her health. To-day she is a sound and
hearty woman, and one of the leading
howeI-seed producers of the country.
1t is an astonishing fact that although
the conditions under which flowers are
cultivated in California are so radically
different from those prevailing in the
Eastern States, the catalogues of Eastern
growers, absurdly inappropriate for our
purposes, are largely followed by such of
our amateur growers as have the diligence
to read at all upon the subject. Compare
lively few, however, go to that trouble.
1t is so easy for them to put plant into
the ground and idly observe it's profusion
of bloom that anything like special educa-
ton On the subject is likely to strike them
as ludicrous. And yet of all the graceful,
refining and healthful occupations
which women may follow that of scientific
fower-growing is the finest. and the SUBJ
stantial allurements which our climate
offers in this particular might be regarded
as special providence.
So few of our women are aware of these
facts that the creation of scientific school
of Horticulture would be one of the greatest
institutions which the women of Califor-
MIA might set on foot. If their influence
prove insufficient to attach college of
this kind to the State University or STAN
ford they would still have the privilege of
founding an independent institution. In
addition to whatever immediate financial
benefits which those who acquire this
education might secure in the shape of
returns from seeds, plants, bulbs and
essential oils, would be the incalculable
general good which the whole State would
enjoy from having its homes made beau
tiful with flowers intelligently grown.