Kansas City journal., 1898-01-16
WOMAN In SWEDEN.
An English Writer Gives Her Very
High Rank-An Individual
First of All.


During the exposition a woman's con-
gress was held at Stockholm, which at
tracted a great deal of attention. -.ecently
several of the most important educational
journals of continental Europe have de-
voted leading articles to the Swedish wom-
en-, and the following from an Italian jour
nal written by an English woman n Of rans !.
of interest as proving how these Northern
women have impressed an English woman:
THE Swedish girl, unlike her German nan
life begins with the conviction Or those
about her that she Is destined to be OF
some importance in the world In wh1cn
she lives and as she grows she learns that
life has some responsibilities even for wom-
THE education of the Swedish girl is
similar to that Of her brothers, and. II SO
inclined, there is nothing to prevent her
from taking an academic course.
The schools which are under govern.
ample means of Improvement. and the
Swedish woman IS Il cultivated and a
learned member of society. She Is an OBJ
holds @ h her place in - whatever discussion may
be under way. She is womanly at the
same time, and Is possessed OF all woH-
ans accomplishments. but she Is intellect
These Northern women hold higher
position than is granted our intellectual
women Of England or on the continent OF
like American women. and, as In America,
the peerage of the intellectual holds sway.
and able women are treated with distinc-
ton and are honored for their attainmentS
quite apart from any consideration Of
birth or social attainments.
TO a great extent the system of instruc-
these conditions. The state devotes special
attention to the education Of the girls. and
provides instruction in a manner that
makes those who would be independent
a
CT those trained to serve. All grades of
work are taught. Governesses are trained
to, to teach. servants are trained to serve. and
who wish to learn. SO that the girl who Is
thrown upon her own resources Is fully
equipped for the battle of life. She is
provided with the implements of work,
and her labor brings her honor and re-
srect.
I'm the political world the Swedish wom-
sought by the men of her family and ac-
qIaintance. AS yet the franchise is not
hers, but it is thought by. those who know
the way: Her women are ripe to take the
responsibility of the change, as they are
a thoughtful and an educated body. and
already are making their influence felt.
'EGucation Is not confined to the few. but
is obligatory to certain degree upon all.
he Swedish women are therefore able to
lens of the day. much more so than the
Englishwomen, and also In this respect
coming nearer to the American woman.
In social sense the Swedish women
occupy far more important position than
the women Of Continental Europe In this
they are more like our better class OF
English women. AS wives they are the
they are not merely playthings. Honored
IL, their homes. sought after in society.
and. in short occupying "a place in the
nearer the English and American woman
than their sisters on the continent Of
Europe"
These are certainly flattering comments.
but 1t must be admitted that it is only
within the past twenty-five years that
such condition, true for the Swedish
women at large, has existed. But rapid
be hoped that the universal education Of
women In Sweden will be kept within
sensible and conservative bounds, instead
that separate practical usefulness from a
lot Of theoretical and useless knowledge