The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1901-04-12
"a 5Tss EEs, hyTss3
WHICH n A.M'E Isl BEST'9
One OF the Dlllemmas that Com
IS fronts i Woman About
=s;s @a q to M AIRY. ".


fronts . Won an bout
81: ii to Marry. 5s@ 4s5 I. 81 ). 5
What shall be a married woman's
name? This is the. question one Of the
women's papers has been trying to an.
swer for its readers. !, Shall a married
woman take her husbands name and
drop her own, being known as Mrs. John
Smythe Rogers? Or shall she keep her
maiden name in full, and add to it that
Of her husband, writing herself as Mrs.
Mary Jones Rogers? Or shall the. wife
and husband unite their names, and call
themselves Jones-Rogers? Or shall the
woman. keep strictly to her own name,
dlscarcing entirely that of her husband,
and call herself Mary Jones: or Mrs
Mary Jones? These are the possibilities
offered in the way Of woman's name.
and they ought to- satisfy the ambition
Of even the most individualistic college,
graduate Of this opening year Of q new
century. IL
Power of Social Custom. ~
That not many women care to retain
their own name without taking that Of
their husband simply shows how power
full is social custom. It might be said
that it indicates that women are wanting
in individuality; but such an assertion
can have little weight in view of the fact
that social tradition reaching back for
what shall be the form of woman's
name. Few women have the time or the
energy or the courage to battle with an
established rule Of this kind; and the
number Of men cannot be much larger.
If it were, they would wage the battle
for the women, which they now show no
inclination for doing.
Some Exceptions.
However, there are not wanting indica-
| tons that women are gaining in individu-
ality, a fact that is shown by the increas-
ing number who do not wish to lose their
maiden names when they are married.
Yet there also seems to be an increase in
the number Of women who respect the
| conventions of society, and merge their
names in those of their husbands. If
! John Smith is a prominent man in busi-
| ness or politics or literature, it is natural
that his wife should wish to have the
she calls herself Mrs. John Smith, it
| serves not only to identify her in the
| minds of all who know her husband, but
| it adds to her social standing and posi-
| ton. That most business men and poll
ticians would take advantage of such an
! opportunity ought to excuse the women
| for so doing.
selves, however, it is of advantage to
them to keep their own names, just as it
would be to men. No man of a positive
individuality wishes to appear under the
sorm Of Co" in the firm to which he
belongs. He may submit to it because
he has not money or experience enough
to take ~anv other position; but he is
pleased to have his own name appear
when that is possible.
When Names Counr.
| Why should woman wish to aban-
don her own name, that has become ;den-
titled with her personality. and that is
IN 4 real sense a part of he- individual
self! The fact seems to be that as soon
as women make a place for themselves
in the world they do not desire to ADAM
don their maiden names. Professional
singers, actors, artists and others refuse
to give up what has BECOME identified
sense Of personality that Identifies itself
with a name known to the public, and
that has it's professional and business
value, has, no doubt, it's influence in
causing women to refuse to marry. The
popular idea of marriage, that merges
the wife in Che husband and in his chill
dren, must have it's influence on women
who have sought to work out a career
for themselves. Now, whether we think
women ought to be contented with hus-
band and children or not, the fact is that
an increasing number of women, and
those the most intelligent and capable,
refuse to marry. We may write or speak
as we like in favor of women keeDing
to the good old way Of housewifery, we
are quite wasting our words so far as
very large class of the most capable
young women are now concerned. They
have found mission, and no man can
claim them as wife. They have found
| that the world needs mOthering, and not
one little brood of children only: and
they have set themselves to that work.
Having entered upon it and gained some
success in it, why should they break its
continuity and its purpose by taking an
other name and adding other interests
! But this question opens I'D the whole
| problem of woman's position today. and
II is too large and momentous to settle
here
| New Ideas in Many Ways.
1t is highly significant, however, that
| women should wish to keep their own
| wish to marry, but because tiey have
gained the vantage-ground Of the full rec
ognition Of personality. Is Mrs. Rogers
herself, or is she merely an appendix to
Mr.. Rogers! Is she to speak in her own
name: or must she always refer to .'him''
in order to know what to think? Perhaps
suffrage for women is not gaining rapid
| ~, but vast change has peen brought
about in the last half century in the rec
| ognition Of the individuality of woman.
The women who quote ''him' are grow
ing small in number, and the women who
have opinions Of their own are rapidly
increasing. In the meantime marriage
! does not go on quite so smoothly as for
merly, simply because the husband is no
longer ''lord and MASTER" and two wills
| must be reconciled, instead Of one being
| ignored.
In due time, however, when the transi-
ton has been made to the full recogni-
ton of individuality in woman, it will be
found that marriage has become more
ideal and happier. That women will ever
go back to the old submissive way, hay
ing once tasted freedom, is not to be sup
posed. Therefore, marriage must hence.
forth be real partnership Of two per-
sonalities or else women will more and
more refuse to marry.-Boston Tran
script. il
High Life at Cebu.