Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1896-07-29
MRS. BRYAN'S VIEWS.
SHE BELIEVES In MAKING HER
DAUGHTERS PRACTICAL In
EVERY SENSE OF THE
WORLD.
[By the telegraph to the N. Y. Herald

| [By the telegraph to the N. Y. Herald
LINCOLN, Neb., July 18, 1S96.-On
the train yesterday between Kansas
City and Lincoln, at disjointed inter
walls when Mrs. Bryan was not waving
her handkerchief from the rear plat
form or meeting people, / said to her
that the readers of the Herald would
doubtless be very much interested to
know her views on certain subjects.
Mrs. Bryan is not only a very modest
woman, but also very attractive one.
She dislikes publicity, and is averse to
being interviewed, because she regards
the Il" as egotistical. After some
hesitation she consented that l might
ask her certain questions and publish
the answers. l said to her.
Mrs. Bryan, are you fond of socie-
typ
II am very fond of meeting people, y
she said, land enjoy my own circle
of friends, but society or it is general
| ly understood, the formal round of
| visits, the receptions and other func-
tions at which stereotyped questions
are asked and answers given. and
which are forgotten at once, because
| they were never made to be remem-
bered, has very little attraction for
me.
I'm Lincoln, strange as it may per
haps seem to you coming from the
East, we have very delightful socie-
ty. There is no great or formal enter
tanning. but there are professors from
the State University, women who are
members of clubs and who keep them
selves informed on the topics of the
day, students of the university, who
have come from the East especially to
study Western agricultural methods,
forming society which is attractive
as well as intellectual. Of course, you
can find the same thing in the East,
only with US, perhaps, there is less
artiiciality and the hollowness of
society is what the newspapers seem to
be always deploring.''
| EDUCATION OF CHILDREN
Have you any pronounced views on
the bringing up and education of chill
dren?n
Mrs. Bryan laughed. "You have
seen quite little of the children dur
| ing the last few days." she said, land
you ought to be able to Judge as to
that. l do not believe in trying to
shape out certain course for a child.
| believe he or she must be allowed to
develop character and prove what he
or she is best fitted for. One thing 1
do believe in, and that is in giving my
daughters thorough practical educa
tion, making them practical in every
sense of the word, SO that in case they
should be dependent upon their own
| exertions they would be able to fight
their own battle as we'll as their brother
can.
| "Children, think, should be given
plenty of fresh air and exercise, and in
their childhood their physical training
is of even more Importance than their
mental. 1t has been my custom for
some years past to read to the children
every night before they went to bed
stories, tales or any other juvenile
literature suitable to them Ruth, my
Oldest daughter; has always been very
fond of reading and being read to, but
William for some time took very little
interest in it, At last he showed an
interest. and now he can always be
amused by being read to or by looking
at pictures. l believe that children
learn great deal in this way and that
it is good thing for them mentally"
Are fairy tales good thing for chill
dren to hear?"
II think so. | read the children An
derson's stories in German, and al
though they do not understand they
like to hear the words, and l translate
them as l read. The children in this
way get accustomed to the sound of
German and pick up little here and
there."
EFFECT OF RELIdl ON ON CHILD.
"You naturally believe in the bene-
ficial effect of religion on child ?''
II do. do not care SO much for
creeds, but think that religion exer-
cises wholesome and restraining influ-
ence, and that children, especially BOYS,
who have been taught a. proper rever-
ence for religion, live cleaner and bet
ter lives. My code is really very sim.
pie one. want my children to tell the
truth, to be honest and do the best thev
can with the abilities which have been
given them. don't believe in irving
to make children perfect or that any.
thing should be done to stamp the in
dividuality out of them As | said be-
fore, children must, to great extent.
work out their own character and show
what they are best suited to accom-
plish."
"Do not believe in the new woman ?,
s'There is TO new woman"
women are to day wnat they have
always been. lam, of course, in favor of
women taking proper outdoor exercise
and making themselvesas perfect phys
ically as they can mentally, but there
must be proper dividing line between
the sexes. do not ride bicycle, be-
cause l haven't yet hai time to learn.
but intend to. do not see any ne
cessity for women riding in some of the
costumes have seen.
I'm brief. I am not an advocate of
extremes. either in fashions or any,
thing else. A woman should not. in
my opinion, allow herself to stagnate
after marriage. She should keep her
self as much up to date as possible,
which is good thing not only for her,
personally, but also for her children
and her husband. But woman's first
duty is to her home, and she ought not