The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1903-06-06

INNAn AfNn ]
LITERARY
Thesis-Nature: An Exhaustless
Reservoir Of Hostile Forces,
Lou Eta Brosius, A. NJ.
Essay-Thc Art of TennySOn.
Margaret Aull, A. B.
Essay-The Gothic Spirit in Letters.
Charlotte Mary Donaldson, A. B.
Essay-Llterature, an Expression Of
a Nations Life.
Margaret Evans Hunter, A. B.
ESsay--The Influence OF the French
Revolution on English Literature.
Mary Alvia Viles, B. l..
ESSay--Browning; Interpreter Of
His Age.
Janet Mae Westgate, A. B.
Music-(piano) Airline Burden, Edna
Grinstead, Perle Shale. (voice)
Emma Lyons.
Teachers Certiicate-Charlotte
Donaldson, Emma Lyons, Virginia
Tisdale
Expression-Anna Shelton, Genelle
Selecman.
Mr.. w. M. Sloan of St. Louis deliv-
cred the regular address to the class.
Mr.. Williams, in introducing the
speaker, explained that he had de-
parted from the established custom
of securing for this office a protested
orator but had chosen instead a prac-
tical business mantle superinten-
dent of the Sunlight Shoe Factory in
St. Louis. Mr.. Sloan treated his
subject, 1.-THE American Working
Girl" from practical stand point
and not theoretically. Having I'M
der his direction five hundred
girls he was we'll fitted to speak on
such a subject. Following is the
address In part:
I rejoice with you in your achieve
ments here and your possibilities for
the future. But l want to speak to you
today of another class Of young women
who come from homes where luxury Is
not known and where ease and comfort
constitute nc part of the environment,
but where ambition and hope, zeal and
expectation are met with the stern
spectre of necessity and where feelings
as delicate and sensitive as yours are
exposed to the fierce taunts and trials
of the world. 1 come to talk to you of
the new woman, a product largely of
tie Nineteenth Century, Our American
Working Girl
In her experience, disappointment
takes the place Of your achievement,
necessity crowds out opportunity and
the hours that you spend IN self im-
prcvement, she spends in providing
means of self preservation. The class
Of which | speak constitutes as essen
tial part Of society as you do and de-
? mands and deserves all Of the consider
alton and respect that is awarded tC
any part Of our social system. l SPEAK
OF the American Working Girl not from
the standpoint of a theorist who exer'
, clses his fancy In dreaming for her
Z condition different from that which sh'
! occupies, but l speak Of her from prac
. tical observation and beSpeak for he
: that consideration which seeks to i'm
. prove her condition along lines tina
: are feasible.
In the factory Of which l have charg'
d in the city Of St. Louis, there are owe
y 400 girls who "work for a llving'' ant
y IN the three factories owned and Oper
, ated by our Company, there are NOR
d than 1000 working girls. This is bu
" a sample Of every large manufacturing
W center in the United States today
~ This situation confronts us as a par
y and problem Of our social system.
u do not view this situation in the Ugh
Of a well.meaning theorlst, whose plai
for the Improvement Of this condition
has been to tear down our present socis
IL structure and organize society on a ne'
10 system. So far the American Workin
ie Girl has never been benefited by an
W such line of discussion. She is face t
es face with a condition and not a theory
The process by which she came is
part of the warp and wool OF our socii
at history.
Within the memories of our Crane
parents, the early homes had their spin
lg ming wheels and looms where the mott
re ers and daughters spun and we've II
V. wool and cotton within the confines
ed their own homes. There they dive