Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1904-02-24
GIRLS VINO LEAVE HOME.
written for The state by W.. ID.
Woods.
!. Y

L . !. Il ~ i
The readers of The state, or rather
that portion of them who have bald
the writer the compliment OF reading
his articles which have appeared from
A time to time I'm its columns need
hardly be reminded of his position on
the subject of education There is
however, one thing in connection with
the question to which he begs TO enter
! a protest, although IL is done with a
considerable degree of reluctance.
i IL is possible, of course, that this
/ evil, and the word fs used advisedly,
| may not owe its origin to our system
OF education, but to change of pub
lie sentiment, which has fornd de-
1 Yelopment outside of higher education.
Then, too, the fact must be recogniz-
ed that I'm a'l human affairs, it mat
ters not how good the general ten
dency Is, there must be some evil but
this truth, every effort should be made
/ to keep the evil incident thereto to
the lowest possible point.
| The evil TO which allusion Is made is
the craze that has found lodgment In
| the mind of almost every girl that
just as soon as she leaves the college
or high school she must find some
KIND OF employment, despite the fact
| thTt in the large majority of cases 1t
! involves leaving her home and being
thrown with strangers. Any system
of education or OF public sentiment
that instills u feeling of this kind into
the mind of girl, that she must be in
dependent and make her own way i'm
the world, is radically and inexcusably
| wrong.
There are, of course, many cases
where this seeking for employment is
painfully necessary and where this is
the case a girl should be encouraged
and rendered every assistance but
where this condition does not exist
she is both unjust to herself and her
parents when she voluntarily leaves
| 81 no wi IN
derive so much pleasure from her
presence in the house. She has been
sorely missed during the four years she
mas spent at college, but this separation
! was cheerfully borne by her parents,
for they could look forward to the time
when She would finish her education
and once more be with them to bright
EN- their home. Independence and the
! desire to make ones own way in the
! world, Is both natural and commend
able, but there is such a thing as car
rying even good impulse too far, and
there is something radically wrong in
any system OF home or school train
Ing that implants the idea in the mind
| of girl that she should not be de-
pendent on her father. even when he
Is abundantly able to provide for her
wants.
! Even If it be granted that she can
| have more social enjoyment in the
| town or city than in the country home
of her parents. this furnishes no suffi-
cient excuse for her to leave her par
ents when her presence and help af-
lords them such unaloyed happiness.
1t often happens that the mother, get
ing on In years, is worn out with toll
and care. She has given all her
strength and time to the raising and
| training of her children, and to her
1t is an ineXpreSsible pleasure when
| her daughter insists on assuming some
of her duties and responsibilities, and
enables her to enjoy a well-earned
rest
number of years ago it was the
writer's good fortune to be q frequent
visitor at q home where the condition
above mentioned existed. The moth
er's health was not good and the oldest
daughter had simply relieved her OF all
! household cares, not even allowing the
younger children to trouble her with
any or their troubles. This daughter
very fine musician and could easily
nave secured a position to teach This
! she would have liked to do but she
telt that her first duty was at home,
ana the discharge of this sacred duty
VIII ever be the sweetest and tender.
est recollection Of her life, for when
she was called on to see that mother
pass away she was sustained and
Soothcd by the consciousness that she
had done all that lay IN her power to
make her mothers last years pass in
peace and happiness.
one OF the greatest and noblest men
| iopcrt r. i-ce-Wno mas ever lived on
TINS earth, made duty the watchword
of his whole life, and no sacrifice or
danger ever restrained him from do
ing what he conceived to be right 1'he
! path OF duty often calls us to walk
| In ways that humanity speaking are
the very reverse of the ones we would
! choose, but then there should ever be
present the thought that after all the
strongest happiness comes from the
, consciousness of having done our ut
~ hn 90
VINO are dear to us. Fortunate in
deed. is the daughter who, when she
looks for the last time on the face of
her mother, with her tire hands fold
never brought tears to the now closed
eyes or pangs of sorrow to the un-
selfish heart, which has forever ceas-
ed to beat
If she can feel thus then she has n
peace and joy that will be her greatest
solace as long as life endures, for what
ever, Tor veal or woe, the future has
In store for her, this is something that
no earthly power can take away.
girl when she first leaves col
lege ana enters, as 1t We're, upon the
/ threshold of her life, stands in great
need of her mothers counsel and pro-
. lection, and 1t is n misfortune when
stress of circumstances deprives her
OF this safeguard. If there be one
thing on earth that comes as a gift
from Heaven it is the love of a moth
er Tor her child. No pen can portray
~ no plummet can sound it's depths,
for it is as deep and wide as a faith,
omless sea, to which no measurement
can be given
The writer trusts that he may be
pardoned for giving one more illus
tration of the sacrifice of inclination
to duty, the facts of which are Just as
related.
a good many years ago there eX-
isted an engagement between two
young people. but there was, In the
estimation of the young lady at least
an inseparable barrier in the way of
It's immediate consummation that OBJ
stacle being an invalid mother, for
whose care tho daughter considered
hcrself responsible. After the lapse
of good many years the mother PASS
ed away and a short time after her
death the daughter married the gen