The progressive farmer., 1902-03-04

mon than TO hear criticisms or So
ciety from those who are its mem.
bers, but who renounoe their obligs
They condemn but make no effort
to correct. If society is cultured or
dull, extravagsnt or discreet, deco
rous or fast, stimulative TO high aims
or discouraging, or anything It ought
to be or not to be, 1t is but the com
bined influences of it's members.
Each in some way contributes to
that condition. Each exerts more
influence than one is conscious of or
will readily admit All of us shun
the query, "What do contribute TO
itP"
The emancipation of the slaves in
the South was the liberation of many
of our women to various forms of
labor. They learned first that do
mestio work is no dishonOr. The
loss of property neoessitated an in
dependence that was willing to earn
a living by any honorable employ
ment. The later opening to them
of the higher colleges and universi.
ties, those established for women and
those formerly for men alone, have
given them greater opportunities for
education and for the practical
knowledge that shall fit them for
self support. This is obliged TO be
felt in the stronger minds, more
forceful characters and more intel
leotual work of another generation.
Let US hope that this institution and
others like it shall rejoice in the re.
suits TO the State, to Southern wo-
manhood and to Southern achieve
ment.
Outside of the colleges, the oppor-
tunities for culture are greater than
at any period of the worlds history.
Free libraries, museums and art gal
leries; the quickness and compare
tive cheapness of travel; the moder-
ate price of books, magazines and
newspapers and the course of study
offered by summer schools, clubs
and societies, simply make culture
question OF choice.
May we not hope that the oppor-
tunities for the education of South
ern women may bring forth even
more permanent resultsP During
the past decade the South has pro.
duced a creditable mum Der of success
full women authors. Charles Egbert
Craddock and her sister, Miss MIr-
free, Ruth MoEnery Stuart, Mrs.
Spencer, Grace King, Mrs. Burton
Harrison, Mrs. MoGlasson, Mrs.
Platt, Mrs. McAfee, Julia Magru-
der, Elizabeth Bisland, Mics Sea-
we'll, Amelia Rives, and her cousin,
Halle Erminie Rives, Miss Glasgow,
Winnie Davis, s. o. H., Miss Fries,
Miss Stookard and Miss Johnston
have heightened the list of women
writers which twenty years ago was
honorably headed by Augusta
Evans, Mrs. Mary Bayard Clark,
Christian Reid, Mrs. Fanny Barrow
and Marion Harland. The South
still has much to be told. Tim colo
nial history of several of our States
is large background for romance
and song. Will not more Mary
Johnstons delineste the period?
Civil War incidents are waiting to be
pictured by poets, historians, drama
lists and painters. Who will dedi-
cate themselves to the work inspired
by true patriotism?
North Carolina would gladly see
we'll portrayed by pen or by brush
the very first landing of Anglo.Sax-
ons upon the shores of America, at
Roanoke Island in July, 1884. She
would love to have her companion
incident TO the Boston tea party ia
miliarly known in song and picture,
for the destruction of the sloop of
war, "Diligence. bv the oitizens