The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-10-23
copyright. 1871

In
since we all listened and talked about
sThe Higher Education of Women. III
hasn't been so long since we hoped as
we talked. about the result OF the Nigh
er education on woman. And now TOT
eome time. we have had the so called
higher education for woman. And with
what result? Many a"mother looked at
her young daughter and thought ii
had only had the advantages that she
,hall have! If. when ] was a young
woman, had only been taught niue
more. why. l should have been pe'ter
wife. because could have talked better
I should have been better housekeep-
ar because 1 should have understood
.he why and wherefore of everything,
and 1 would have been a better woman
all around
And. then, this old fashioned mother
denied herself her new black dress
freshened up an old bonnet, made the
younger children's clothes all answer
for another season, so that there might
he money enough without bothering ia
ther. 10 give the oldest girl the ad-
vantage OF a college education. After
axnected OF her. She told OF the big
buildings. of the learned professors. of
her own special friends, and II she lin
ysred rather more lovingly over her ac-
count of a game OF basketball or the
sports i'm the gymnasium than she did
over the account given OF her studies
tho good mother thought ii was because
it was all new TO her.
Next year she didn't come home for
che vacation. but as the loving mother
worked away hnsily at the winter ward
robe she thought with delight Of she
new friends her child had made, and
ala boast a little to her neighbors about
che fine folks that Jennie was visiting
II hurt her a bit when Jennie wrote that
she'd better not bother about making
her dresses any more, as her methods
were rather countrified, but to send her
the money instead. And she wondered
~ Jennie forgot that while she could
fnd time to sew, IT was not so easy
TO get ready money. But the next girl.
who lacked Jennie's ambition, so they
said. gave up her music lessons that
the money might so to the pride of the
family
The next summer Jennie seemed n bit
of n stranger. She was a stylish look
Ing young lady. whose mother was
bound TO feel proud OF her appearance
kaa who was forced TO confess that she
was afraid that Jennie was not quite
40 proud OF the home folks. Then came
the time when Jennie was home for
good The younger sister. who was
supposed to lack ambition, though
busy teaching away in a kindergarten
so that she might have money for those
.astH
nevertheless, to make Jennie's room
look like a dainty nest, waiting for this
bird that had flown so far away from
home.
And when she camel There was noap-
probation for the pretty curtains. She
threw her dusty bag did Jennie, on
the pretty. white draped bed and her
self into an easy chair. with scarcely a
greeting for anybody. And then--wen.
then-nobody knew exactly what to
do.
Here was a strange young lady a
young lady who might know great
deal as far as books went. but who
knew very little as far as good manners
were concerned. The stay-at- home sis
ter had a great piece OF news for her
there was to be a vacancy i'm one OF the
large schools. and the entire neighhor-
hood expected IL to be offered to the
girl who had been TO college and who
represented that higher education of
women. But this young lady announced
that she didn't intend TO bury herself
In any country hole.
This Jennie was n strange one TO the
people about her. She did not hesitate
10 correct before other people the mis-
takes made by that dear mother and
she hesitated less at snubbing every
girl who hadn't had the same advan-
fages az she. She forgot that as the
years went by II was by no means un-
usual, especially when the heart did
much loving and the heart continually
taught the brain the lesson of unself-
isnness, that those earlier lessons
learned at school should be overlooked
And the mother who had denied herself
many OF the necessities OF life that her
girl might be properly taught shed
many a bitter tear when she learned
that her daughter was ashamed OF her
And the others. who had hoped 10 be
so proud Of her. learned to dislike her
because she continually found fault-be-
lieved that there was nothing good ex-
cept that which came out of her col
lege.
about her collegel And yet Jennie was
not a well educated girl. Her knowl-
edge. like that Of many another girl
who was proud graduate OF Jones' coli
lege or Thomas Brown university. was
entirely superficial She could not write
well. she knew little OF geography.
while her brother Of IL could correct her
spelling and arithmetic.
You think 1 don't know what an
talking about, Here's truthful state
nent for you: Out Of 500 letters written
by graduates Of various colleges I'm this
country. 300 IN writing and spe1TTng
would have been a disgrace To girl OF
IL years who had attended the public
school.
I can't tell you whether the trouble ls
with the colleec or the girl. but the av-
srage graduate Of the fefninre sex b.
feven times cut " ten either bore or
n cad. Her cOnoel, - unparalleled
when she poses az a learned lady she
y laughing stock to people VINO know