New-York tribune., 1901-01-01
CENTURY OF ACHIEVEMENT
SOME OF THE OCCUPATIONS TAKEN UP
BY WOMEN DURING THE LAST
HUNDRED YEARS

From the dainty first Of the century maiden who
hurst into tears upon slight occasion and swooned
sight OF a mouse 10 the stoutly shod muscular
end Of the century golf girl and from the sad faced
widow and visaged old maid of a hundred
years ago whose only vocation TO exc out
existence with sewing teaching TO cumber
others home TO the bright eyed business woman
of to-day. forging a way for herself among the
worlds gainful occupations. strides worthy of
= hundred years. What Will the next century find?
What the one just ended found and left-the Amer
ican woman. whose strongest characteristic
whether in home Or business is her warm
mother heart. That higher education. business life
and public duties cannot effect change in
ans birthright-love. peace and home-it has been
the nineteenth century's work TO prove Every step
OF the way has met discussions that to-day seem
ridiculous. Men In Puritan New England in the
memory OF people now living. net the suggestion
TO put stove into the meeting house with the OBJ
lection that religious zeal should obviate the need
or heating appliances. and the same spirit met
every effort made for advancement by women.
The tension of modern life has had much 10 do
with the change OF conditions. and every important
invention has widened the field OF woman's work.
Before the days Of steam and electricity, while yet
oil lamp. the community's needs fewer its
tastes less luxurious and VOcations proper
tionately numerous Sewing teaching and do
mestic se..ice the main avenues for woman's
work in 1901 The year 1901 finds nearly every pro-
fession and industry invaded by her. What a few
women were doing at the beginning OF the century
20 help fathers. husbands and brothers thousands
of women are doing to-day as breadwinners. In
OF the United States as well as In Canada
and France women admitted to the prac-
tice OF law, while in many other countries they
practise the profession consulting counsel
In medicine wOmans place is assured in many
lands although she Is st excluded here and else
where from many medical bodies and from homo
rary hospital appointments. DR. Harriet K. Hunt
the pioneer in this country began 70 practise medi-
cine In Boston in 1885. although not graduate of
medical school DR.. Elizabeth Blackwell who was
graduated in medicine at Geneva, y. Y. in 1898.
the first graduated woman ph, sician in the world.
ADVANCE IN TRAINED NURSING
Trained nursing, public libraries and domestic
science have all opened professions for women
Physicians who are now living remember when. In
order 10 assure the carrying out OF directions in
critical cases. II became necessary for the doctor
TO turn and remain all night with his patient
This was in the days when the born nurse and
the Sairey Camp type held sway and before the
soft footed, gentle handed trained nurse had so
much been heard OF. Now, every hospital train
ing school has long waiting list of young women
who wish TO take the training for the most obedi-
ent kind and self-sacricing work in all the world
District nursing, among those who unable to
employ a nurse regularly. is of the philan-
thropic outgrowths OF the profession which is
bringing comfort to thousands of sufferers
The opening OF the Boston Public Library. in
1884, which began the spread OF public libraries
throughout the land. gave field 10 women,
ana now more positions as mead uDrar1 ans are
cupied by women than by
Domestic science is of the youngest sciences,
and the end OF it's possibilities for the
Of the home and in the lines OF wOmans work is
rot yet reached. The widespread interest In this
well as in all branches OF sociology Is a Sig
ricant feature Of the new century's civilization.
For while those things established facts that
the eighteenth century conservative prophesied
would be the undoing OF home and womanliness,
the study OF the home and of child training is
n-gv,-
every part of the world. Results have been
compIished in better sanitary and hygenic condi-
lions in family living
From keeping silence in the churches 10 the
pulpit is long step. At the beginning of the
century only Quakers listened to women speakers
who were moved by the spirit" At present elgh-
teen denominations allow women TO preach. and
several hundred women in this country are occupy
While few women have left their lasting mark
on American literature. no book published during
the last hundred years has had great a sale
nor SO tremendous influence as Uncle Toms
cabin" written by Harriet Beecher Stowe in 1852.
In 1862 Julia Ward Howe's famous Battle Hymn
At the beginning Of the nineteenth century
news ne%spapeTs had been edited by women and there
the term woman reporter had never been heard.
them. With the growth Of periodicals the field
mas mas widsned until the new century will dawn on
thousands OF such workers.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR TEACHERS
At the beginning OF the century women were
employed as teachers in district schools during
the summer months. when few boys were able 10
attend. and as late as 1870 81 a week. with board
Ing around" was considered good wages for
woman. AT present more than half the teachers
OF the country women.
From l73s 10 ls22 girls were allowed TO attend
tne public schools OF Boston only during the
summer months, and then only when there
sSeats not needed by the boys Before the Open
ing OF Troy Seminary. m 1929 higher mathematics
was denied 20 girls. oberln College, the first in
sututon In the world 10 offer girls a college edu-
eaion' opened ia 1898 with tWenty-nine boy and
lttsen girl students. Mount Holyoke Seminary
w @ss 3, esiabshed by Mary Lyon n 1887. To-day s22
~ ane ssz colleges and universities reported by the
Sorninissioner OF Education coeducational. In
eeeoluon 20 these there are Yassar. Wellesley.
etnith and Bryn Mawr. with Radcliffe OF Har-
'aro' ane Barnard, Of Columbia. while Yale ad-