The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1903-10-23
Criticisms Offered.

Now that the Women's Federation has
adjourned the press of the state is COM
menting quite literally on some of the
features of the recent meeting. mas
conventions and discuss matters of pub
lie moment the editors, and the latter
are none the less gallant, feel that they
have a right to criticise the fair sex,
and at the same time inject sarcasm into
their remarks. The Redwing Republican
leads off with this comment on the prop
osition to separate the sexes at the state
training school: ''Mrs. E. M. La Pen
otiere, the state president of the Mime
sofa Federation of Women's clubs, at the
recent meeting in Mankato, took occasion
to drive plug for separate girls
training school. She had visited the
training school in this city shortly be-
fore the meeting to get inspiration for
an address against the Red Wing insti-
tuition There she beheld the horrible
spectacle of boys and girls meeting at
chapel exercises, once week, and she
came to the conclusion that such associ-
alton must be baneful, particularly in
after life, when these children meet out
side the school, Such talk is nothing
but nonsense and no fairminded person
who has broad view and practical I'M
derstanding of life would make such as
sertions As matter of fact, nearly all
who have advocated separate girls
training school have either been ignorant
of the true conditions of the school and
prejudiced on general principles, or they
have had personal interest in getting
an institution for some town, or they
have been candidates, or have had friends
who were candidates for superintendent,
matrons and other offices, in the gift of
such an institution"
Naturally The Republican objects to
a separate training school for the girls
as such an institution located in dis
tant city would take away from Red
Wing fair percentage of it's population,
and that wouldn't do at all.
Now comes The ST. Paul Pioneer Press
with its contribution. There is "sling
and an arrow" in the following, and
withal a truth or two between the lines: 4
"a speaker at the women's federation
meeting at Mankato last week urged
young women. not dependent upon them
selves for support, not to go into the
ranks of clerks or stenographers, thereby
lowering the wages of those who must
support themselves, but to devote
themselves to art, literature or charity
eff mere male might presume to sug-
gest anything in connection with WON
ans sphere it would be this. Devotion
to art literature and charity are fine
and feminine. But they are SO when in
cidental to a normal life of work, not as
fads or dilettante professions. They are
most beautiful when practiced, so are
most beautiful when practiced, so to
speak, 'on the side
~And there is sphere of honest, solid
work where competition is not a danger
1t Is domestic industry, housekeeping, if
you please. There is dearth of women
workers. There is an industry 'belated'
in the application of intelligence. There
fore, sometimes, it is held in disrepute.
els it not for the intelligent woman of
independent means to bring this industry
into reputei Would not that solve a
pressing social problem as well as many
a personal one?
eff woman takes care of her own
family, fathers, mothers and brothers as
well as children; if she cooks their food
digestibly, keeps their home tastefully,
she is serving them and at the same time
relieving hired girl Of work which is