New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-08-26
A QUESTION OF ETHICS.
SHOULD MARRIED WOMEN FOLLOW PRO-
FEssrONs?

=
OF PROFESSIONAL WOMEN ARE WRECKED
Is TIFF PEcUN1ARY ONE. SAYS
MRS FENwICK MILLER
with the opening OF the schools drawing on
.pace. the same old wall goes up from the IN
married sisters who have beer turned down.
What shame for the married women to crowd
Us out'' Hearing this often repeated a Tribune
reporter called az the Offices Of the Board OF Edu-
cation. No. las Grand-st, yesterday to find out
from headquarters the attitude Of the Board or
the employment Of married women teachers.
Are married women considered eligible 10 ap-
pointment teachers nowT' queried the reporter.
Certainly they eligible" said the official ad-
dressed. though only about per cent Of the
teaching force to venture guess on the moment
s-e married Article Of the bylaws says; No
married woman shall be hereafter appointed a
teacher without the consent of a majority OF all
the members Of the School Board. and the mar
rage OF any female teacher shall be taken TO be a
resignation Of her position but that is practically
no prohibition ST all. the consent Of majority
OF all the members Of the School Board is essential
the appointment OF any teacher. II IS true
that the preference is always for the single women
FOR variety Of reasons, but when after thorough
Investigation II Is proved that married woman
IS still dependent her exertons for sup
port by reason Of an invalid husband she is oc-
oasionaly taken
How about the woman with e lazy husband
Well the Investigations into individual cases
are exceedingly thorough; and II the husband can
work and won't work. he must be made 10 work.
50 far his wife getting position in the schools
20 support him is concerned.
"Of course the great objection 70 employing
married women is that they are apt 70 lose more
time than the women who are without fncum-
brances.'
DO many married women apply when they really
DO not need the work.
oh yes. they do. A great many women VINO
have been sef-supportine seem 70 feel restless
when they stop getting regular salary OF their
own and in short time they trying 70 get a
resppointment OF course, they seldom get It.
This question Of married women following pro
LESSONS is one Of growing Importance not only IN
this country but even more so IN England, where
many even OF the titled women have within the
last two or three years taken up careers
THE ROCK THAT WRECKS.
Tho discussion broke into fervent fame at the
recent International Congress OF Women In Lon
don when Mrs. Fenwick Miller who has engaged IN
public work since early childhood. read paper on
The Eject on Domestic Life Of the Entry Of
Women Into Professions"
After urging that all girls should be trained TO
some profession unless their parents were able to
leave them annuity sufficient for their support,
che considered the professional work of wives Vt
was desirable that women should continue their
professional work after marriage, on the ground
that skill and ability take long acquire that
Il is waste of time and faculty for that skill to
fall into disuse at marriage, and the feeling that
such would be the end OF II all main rea-
son why parents and girls themselves were careless
about the training that should begin In youth.
Moreover. though she did not expect 10 be-
ueve II. II was the case that many able women
would not accept marriage II IL necessarily i'm
piled giving UP the work OF their choice and she
thought It would be unfortunate II the strength Of
Will and ability that made successful profess
sional woman were be carried into mother
hood and made beneht the next generation.
She quoted strong testimony to the housekeeping
success OF eminent women OF intellect OF the past.
giving the praise Of Mrs. Somervile's daughter to
her mothers domestic requirements. and the testi-
rnorv OF Mrs Wordsworth that Miss Harriet Mar
tneau was "a model in her domestic economy.
She maintained that woman trained TO Industry,
forethought and the performance OF duty by pro-
fessional life thereby better prepared for wife
hood and motherhood than girl whose teens and
early twenties had been frittered away in amuse-
ment.
At the time, men marrying professional
women must remember that IL the wife went on
working she needed much attention and afec-
ton and cheerful compenionship in the home 20
hearten her UP for future work as a man did for
his breadwfnning work and used 10 inde-
pendent thought and action was not likely TO be
60 submissive and meek wife as one wholly de-
pendent and living IN and for her home only. II a
man was not willing 10 accept such an equal part
u,
woman.
The great rock on which she had observed the
marriages OF professional women TO be wrecked
was the pecuniary 1t was so common as to
be appalling for men whose wives earned part Of
the income 10 grow lazy or to selfshly spend all
they earned their own dissipation and amuse-
ment that she could not advise any professional
woman TO marry with a view TO continuing her
work for an income. She urged that the law did
not at present compel man to maintain MS
home at all practically and adequately TO his abil-
ity and that a law should be passed under which
wife living with her husband could OBTAIN al
order for the maintenance Of the home IN the
same manner that she now can do in case OF de-
sertion: It would not often be put In FORCE since
the fear OF exposure would compel men inclined
10 take I'D the degrading position OF living on helr
wives 10 act differently She also maintained 'ha'
no woman should become the mother OF a large
family unless she able TO devote hersen 10
that task alone: the strain on strength was TOO
great
CANNOT SERVE TWO MASTERS
y the course Of the discussion that followed Mrs
Bedford Fenw1ck the convener OF the professlona
section and honorable treasurer Oh Inc congress
fund said that Il must be generally realized tha'
outside professional work was somewhat "i'oi'
sistent with the old fashioned idea Of the dornesuo
life ~ tho housewife u must be regarded as IN
Questionable that the professional wife could not
serve two masters II she attempted 70 perform
so impossible task she would fail IN her ou'E u
both
At the same time each girl should De anorueo
opportunities equal 70 those given to her pro'hers
and by skilled teaching. be enabled 70 ea so1e e
bread In that branch Of labor for Whlcn she o''iS
incination How far the marriage re!dtons 80. 49,,
stand the strain OF economic eQua5nty ~ u. osan
equality was OF any vaue-rernAined 20 oe =,
and whether the average woman woe 20 enuaijtI
tbs rssnonsbility which the claim 10Y equos ~
vso,,ld necessitate remained also 70 De seen or
was inclined TO think the average s.y might safey
Ias,a % ber own devices-only she wouo say :,
mere man, 'Dont marry her TOO niarS =, genius
10 g. svsrage woman had need OF her. 49,.
~iY tie .o,,one HE woman INSTINCT Win III