The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-01-06
Remarkable Condition Of Advancement IN
Which Woman Finds Herself on The
Dawn of This Era.
HER PLACE NOW BESIDE MAN.
Something About Her Wonderful DeUelop-
me12t High Aims and Realization
Of Her Hopes.

AS the years have been pilins up and
have at last been published in one volume
and laid away on the shelf of time, Ia
belied The Nineteenth Century. 1t Is
wonderful 10 note the strides that have
been made in every field. every branch of
industry and every article of 1nanufac-
turc Every walk in life has been broad
cned. every channel dcepcned and every
estate hettercd-
But the most wonderful achievement of
the century is the condition in which Ho-
man finds herself in this dawn of the
new century: and most especially the wo-
man Of America.
conditions. that give her place in every
profession, every business and every in
dustTy.
A curso1,y glance at the state of things
in 1901 make The woman of 1891 seem made
OF another clay
LITTLE BETTER THAN DUMMIES.
Womcn of the former date We're not
permitted in any country to control their
property nor 10 viii il away at death. TO
all intentS and purposes it was not theirs.
Tho common law. in operation in England
and the United States, held husband and
wife 10 be one-and that one the husband.
All possessions passed into The hands Of
the husband ut marriage.
Widows and unmarried women who
-
transact their own business, but employed
a male friend as an agent.
They rarely managed their own affairs.
The opinion prevailed so completely that
women could not possess business intelli-
gcnce that she lacked both confidence
and public encouragement to attempt
anything on her own account.
Few occupations were open to women,
and these only 10 the very poor. 1t was
considered a disgrace for women Of
the upper or middle class to earn money.
The unmarried women Of these classes
were called "old maid" and became the
butt of their relatives and friends, and
all callnGS being closed TO them. they
were condemned to the misery OF living
the bounty of the nearest male rela-
tive No college IN the world admitted
women. Men could do the thinking for
the average woman; she needn't think for
herself The few superior women who
had appeared at times We're pronounced
the exception that proves the rule" In
churches g-omen were seated on one side.
men on the other. that men might have
removed from them the communicating
influence Of women. y
1t was considered highly inmodest for
a woman TO appear on business street
unescorted. The legal and social disa bill
!ties We're complete
GRADUALLY ADVANCING.
1t was on these conditions that the cur
tain of the nineteenth century rose: the
century that Victor Hugo with prophetic
voice proclaimed TO he The Century OF
Woman.
1t was early In eighteen hundred that
Jear Jacques Rousseau, who so largely
influenced thought in the closing years of
The eighteenth century gave this advice:
The education of women should always
be relative TO that Of man To please, to
~, 1.N,.Z Il
esteem them. 10 educate us when young,
to take care of US when grown up TO ad-
wise, to console Us, 10 render our lives
easy and agreeable; these are the duties
of women at all times and what they
should be taught from their infancy
This philosophy was reflected in the opin-
ion OF the day.
AT this time Il was pronounced good
form for a modest girl 70 faint often.
especially when frightened.
Robust health among the upper classes
was considered quite indicate. Public
schools We're not opened TO women, and
spelling. reading and the most elementary
arithmetic, with a few accomplishments
thrown in was considered more than
necessary. II was at this period. some
where about 1915, that Sidney Smith made
O. gallant plea for better educational
opportunities. il which he said: women
may be inferior beings, but there seems
10 be no reason why a woman of forty
should be as Ignorant as a boy of twelve"
BOSTON TOOK THE LEAD.
II was in 1926 that Boston opened a
high school for girls, amid clamor OF
opposition. and so fierce waged the storm
that in ISIS its doors We're closed.
In 1880 Harriet Martineau visited the
United States and reported seven occu-
1ratons only open TO women-teach ching,
needle-work keeping boarders. working
tn cotton factories. +ype-setting. book
binding. and household service.
IN lSie the power 10 make a will was
granted 10 married women in Virginia.
It has been only within the last twenty
five years that the idea of women ad-
dressing body has been countenanced.
A few years before the Civil War, when
what IS known as the wave of temper
cree excitement passed over the country.
The Sons OF Temperance held a convention
In Albany. admitting delegates from the
Society Of DAUGHTERS of Temperance, but
when one Of them, Susan B. Anthony.
arose TO speak TO a motion, the chairman