Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-11-07
THE AMERICAN WOMAN
ENGLISH WRITER'S VIEW OF HER
CHANCE IN LIFE.
Daughters as Well Provided for as Sons
Sacrifices Made to Go
Through College.


| From the Ladies' Field.
IF I could be born again 1 would shout
at the top of my voice. oh, make me an
American woman - This was Max o Rells
aspiration.
1t does certainly appear that women in
America are more completely the first OBJ
ject in the scheme of life than in any other
country. Parents consider the education of
their daughters to be al least as important
as that of their sons. A comprehensive and
thorough scheme of education is open to
the young girl of every class. The teachers
throughout the states have access to the
newest ideas, and can acquire the best
technical knowledge. All the elementary
and high schools admit both sexes to study
in common. If college is not obtainable
there are capital secondary schools and
evening classes maintained by local taxa
ton; exactly the same education is given
to girls to boys. In country in the
world are the private schools so many and
so good. All the equipments and fittings
are lavishly provided; there are libraries.
art collections. Symnasiums and swimming
baths and teachers are fitted to infuse
originality into their subjects. The rise of
social distinction has had much TO do with
the development of these private schools. in
which the fees are very high, and very few
children are educated at home by gov
erneSSeS..
University Women.
At the present time the universities spe-
cially for women enroll more than 5000
of every social class. All the mems colleges
admit them as well, with the exception of
Harvard which. however has annex.
and which gives them certificate. but not
a degree; Yale. which only admits them as
graduate students, and the university at
Baltimore.
The desire for college education has
spread like wildfire through America, and
girls go to college much more as a matter
of course than with us. Great eagerness IS
shown to make full provision for women
and the residential houses in which the
students live under the charge of a lady are
equal in their appointments to those of
England, though it is remarked that there
is not so much of the pleasant social life
between students which is SO marked fea-
ture of English colleges.
Girls with small purses and large ambi-
tiOnS are forced to resort to most ingenious
expedients to cover their expenses. Farm
ers' daughters save for the purpose while
still at a district school-gardening, keep
ing poultry or rearing and selling calf
to make provision. If these methods fall
short, the college offers help; a reduction
of fees is made for helping in service. Four
hours work day, such as dining room
work. busting, the care of linen and the
answering of the door bell, saves some.
This service is performed under a matron.
There is no contact with ordinary servants,
and no line is drawn between girls working
their way and others. The former are gem
orally those who excel in study and have a
definite profession in view. Determined
students have even more decided methods.
All over the United States they may be
found in the summer. in parties of ten to
thirty, acting as mattresses in the hotels
and laying by enough in the vacation to
carry them through their college year.
(Girls part at the college gates; the rich
mans daughter goes to a life of amuse
ment and luxury. the worker enters on a
career.)
College Girls Future
College girls are fast becoming the edu-
Gated class, par excellence, in America. A
large number look forward to becoming
teachers, and, except in a few cities. this
profession in the schools is mainly in the
hands of women, while a number have
posts in the universities. The hours are
considerably longer at school and college
than in England, but the freedom, which
is the keynote to the education of the
American girl. goes all through her school
and college life. She studies because she
wishes to do So and because she under
stands the Importance of study So disci-
pline is everywhere admirable, and there
is no attempt to shirk or waste time.
OF late years more attention has been
given to gymnastics and drill. and much
time and thought are expended on intro
ducing them. but we do not see the same
spontaneous love of games and outdoor fun
as in England.
Women now enter every sort of profess
sion in America. They become architects.
engineers. physicians and ministers of the
churches. Many more in proportion than
in England are employed as clerks and
secretaries by the government by fele-
graphic companies and publishing houses.
This year women clerks, secretaries and
typists reached the enormous number of ,
1914 600 "Clergywomen'' number ,727 and
the medical profession accounts for nearly !
5000.
Fashionable life in America is not unlike |
that of England. 1t is a never-ending flow |
of amusement. Dress and expenditure are |
carried to even greater lengths than |
with us. and the craze for money is being |
followed by the craze for rank. and. though |
some of the good old families still keep to |
simplicity, the extravaganza of the women |
in certain cliques in the great cities is |
boundless.
: The English Wife.
The wife knows but little of her husbands |
business, but is satisfied to receive and |,
spend the money he passes his time In !
making. Her tastes decide the whereabouts |
of the home and the direction of travel; in !
fact, it is no unusual thing for the bread |
winner to be left working beyond his |
strength while the ladies of his family are !
travelling In Europe for a year or two |
American women cannot understand the !
self-abnegation of an English woman who (
spends her life In q duh country neighbor-