Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-05-29

account. upon IL BlIl VI liho typC, = W.
lieve that a year spent in Germany
and another year in France would have
a far more refreshing and stimulating
effect.
Do not suppose that minimize the
value of a university education. For,
women of real vigor of mind, a real
turn for the handling of ideas, the in
vestigaton of facts, the discovery OF
truths, scientific or philosophic, the
universities, especially those of Oxford
and Cambridge are an elysium here be-
low. For women who give promise OF
ability to write or teach or even to Or
ganize and administer affairs on a large
scale, and to many others besides, the
university is still the best place of re-
pair. But do not think it the best
place for the girl who succeeds more
by Industry than natural brightness OF
intellect. 1t is apt to fiatten her out,
and to reduce her conscientious docility
to mere dulness.
If all cannot profitably go to college,
8all ought to have a good general edu-
cation. We live at time when people
talk a great deal about education; but
what they mean by it is so little like
what was formerly known as education
that it night sometimes appear as
though they did not care about educa-
ton at all. These people, our contem-
poraries, have been Wearied with ped
agogues and with the helplessness of
the book-learned; and they are dis
posed to say hastily, Let us have no
more book learning, no more book
learned men and women" They call
for practical handy men, and women
to match Colonial Britons say, Send
us no college-b bred girls; we want wom-
women who can do the work of
household, cook for the household,
make clothes for tiff need be, doct
it: and remain agreeable women into
the bargain" We of English race are
not alone in this movement. In mod
ern France there is the same COM
plaint-too many young people are at
tracted towards the universities; there
is too much intellectualization; they
must disntellectualize with all speed.
This protest is called for by the sad
spectacle of starving teachers and
graduates, who are acquainted with
the theory of all things and the prac-
tiee of none. But do not let this pro-
test carry us too far. We cannot go
back to rule Of thumb or to the work.
shop without steam, the kitchen with
out gas stoves, the house without cleo
trio light, the town without tele-
phones. or the roads without motor
cars. We must have education, if only
to deal with the great forces of nature
which we have ourselves evoked.
There may in the future be more sharp
| enng of eyesight by observation and
| less spelling of it over books; and 1T
| is just possible-if the idea can be
borne-that some time may be with
drawn from games. But the last help
which we shall be able to do without
| is education.
| I leave now this part of the subject,
and assume for the rest of my remarks,
| that the girls on whose behalf sug-
gestions are chiefly wanted, are those
| who have had a good education up to
the age of seventeen or eighteen, but
are not intending to proceed to college.
From manufacture in the narrowest
sense of the word one passes naturally TO
the handcrafts, which also are full OF op-
portunitieS for women to seize. Wood
| carving has been practised by many but
seldom with complete success; and the
| rcasont of this, | believe, is that few Wo-
men can construct in wood. though they
can freely ornament. Purchasers want.
| primarily. the well-constructed. solidly-
| made piece of furniture; If carving be
| added it must in nowise diminish the es-
I sential usefulness of the article. But few
| women are good carpenters or cabinet
makers, and so they must either ADD cary
| ing to some article which was better with
| out it. or they do a bit of carving and
| then turn it to account as best they may
1 The possibilities of furniture making have
| been as yet scarcely sampled, But in 9th
/ er directions some really beautiful work
| is being done. | can only now mention
| the enamelling of personal ornaments
| and it's inSeparable ally mental working.
| the fashioning of original pottery, gasso
! work, gliding and book binding. though
| the last mentioned in its most expensive
forms cannot occupy more than a limited
number of craftswomen: For these EN-
| ployments and others of a similar char
| actcr a course of general training, fol-
lowed by a pupilage or apprenticeship to
| successful and Conscientious worker Is
| the best introduction.
But | must leave these; and leave, too,
| on this occasion. such better known pros
| LESSONS and occupations as elementary
and kindergarten teaching, hospital nurs-
| ing and even the care or chltdren, Tor
| which girls can now be trained in Man
| chester and Liverpool as well as London.
| to leave to your consideration before l.
| end And it is this. AS women workers,
we have missed, and are even still miss
| ing a good many chances. But there is
| one chance which | think women have not
missed. They have not failed to improve
| their knowledge of the domestic arts. DO
not misunderstood me! | am far from
saving that all girls can cook or even
teach a parlormaid how to clean plate.
| But what do mean to assert is that wo~
men have done a great deal to organize
the teaching of such subjects as these:
and that, thanks to the schools of domes-
tic economy, of cookery, dressmakinS,
millinery, laundry work and the rest, the
excellent government and management of
which are largely due to women, there is
scarcely a town where a girl cannot find
some educated. capable woman to teach
her how to do anything in house which
she may not already understand Many
of these schools are now Offering special
training to women who wish to go to the
colonies l think such efforts as these
should he remembered when our critics
are inclined to remark that women as we'll
as men are being over-intellectualized.
On behalf of most women l would plead
flor a fuller and wider general education
in girIhood, followed in early womanhood
by a course of training chosen with spec
ial reference to the business by which they
are to earn their living. After this work
will not need much looking after.-The
Queen.
The rural schools of New York aver
80 ,,,,,1;1c In each Of 262S