Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1904-02-26
THE GIRL Of THE PERIOD
Her Lack in What Should Make tn
Well Brought.up Young Woman.
BY CHRISTINE TrRuuNE HrRRcK

Made Easy" "What TO Eat"
I'm CITY Tents" Etc,
Copyright, 1904. by Christine Terhune IIerrick..
There are few creatures In the
world more charming than a really
nice girl.
One such girl comes TO my mind as
write. She has led what may be
called a sheltered life. Her family
possess means and she has had all the
advantages any girl could desire. She
studied in one of the best of New Eng
lands high schools and there acquired
freedom from embellishments char
acter trait that is impaired to the
right type OF girl by the association
with all sorts and conditions OF stu
dents. When she left the high school
she was taken abroad and after hav-
| ing Travelled extensively. was given a
year In an English and French school
near Paris. From this she came home
to the small town In which she was
reared and went happily TO work to
| live her life. She has taken one or
two small classes In languages. be-
cause, as she sensibly says that is
the work by which she would live II
she had to support herself and she
uOtS lOl WlSH W itt ilti atNoihpifNA'
ments become rusty. But she is also
the daughter Of the house, in the old
fashioned meaning of the phrase, TAX
| ing her share In the housekeeping and
home making. helping her mother
when II is necessary. being a COM
panion to her father and a friend TO
her younger brothers and sisters. The
| gentleness of manner which makes
her charming to strangers may be due
partly to nature and training. but
portion OF II is surely the result OF
effort on her own part. She has
found herself"
! know another girl OF the same
type although of a different environ
ment. The second is Middle States
! girl and comes Of a parentage In very
moderate circumstances. Always the
girl knew that when she left school
she would have TO earn her own liv-
/ ing, BY the time she was eighteen
she had mastered stenography and
type writing and had obtained a posi-
ton. All day she is In her office,
working hard. But when she leaves
the office, she throws IL aside entirely.
One who met her would never sus-
pect that she, too. did not lead the
sheltered life. Gentle, considerate. de-
ferential to her seniors, not vehement
| in pressing her own opinion upon 9TH
ers. She is thoughtful about doing
"the little kindnesses that most leave
undone or despise."
Here are two specimens OF what
call a really nice girl. There are a
good many OF them in the world-for
which we may thank Heaven and jul
dicious mothers. But, alas! there are
others of another type.
I know several of the latter sort,
but one will serve as an example. she
! is a college graduate and a splendid
looking young woman. She has her
good points and they are many. Those
who know these and love her because
of them deprecate the flaws which are
so much more conspicuous than the
virtues that the latter sink almost out
of sight.
This girl is self assertive. She has
no doubt that she knows all there is
to know. Question any statement
made by her and no matter how gent
" you advance your own Judgment
YOU are summarily snubbed. There
is no admission that you may have
grain of right on your side. Has not
the girl been to college? Is she not
Young? Does she not keep up with the
times? Go to, We back numbers, The
girl of the period has spoken and the
point is settled!
AS n matter of course. the two girls
of whom I spoke first have as good a
right as the third to claim to be girls
OF the period. That is, they would
have If there were as many of them as
there are of her. This sounds involv-
ed. but fancy the meaning is tolera-
bly, clear The girls who have an un-
due sense of their own importance,
who are lacking in Difference to their
elders In unselfish thoughtfulness for
those about them and in modest es-
TEEN of their own Importance, are in
the majority. l don't like TO own II.
but | am afraid it is the truth. If
it is. what is the matter?
There viii be found large number
of conservatives who win lay 1t all, or
nearly all. to athletics. They will de-
clare that the outdoor sports for which
girls have become so keen during the
past few years are responsible for
loss OF what the old writer's would
have called feminine delicacy. Those
of us who think that a healthy body
and healthy mind and soul should go
together are not inclined to hold this
view. We know too many girls who
play basketball and row boats and
ride wheels and take part in track and
field meets and are yet gentlewomen
to yield credence to any such sweep
ing condemnations of athletic pur-
suits And yet what is the matter?
It Is a hard thing for one woman to
criticise other women and still hard
err and in even poorer taste for one
mother to pick flaws in other mothers.
But are not the mothers in a measure
responsible for some of the faults of
the girls? Have they not made
mistake somewhere in the early train
ing of their daughters? 1t cannot be
altogether the sins of the latter, either
hereditary or acquired. II the moth
ers had held the right relationship
with the girls from the time the lit
tie creature left the nursery, along
through school life and out into socie-
ty. would not the young woman of the
present day be a rather different pro-
duct?
PERHAPS 1t may sound hopelessly
old-fogeyish to press the value of do
nestle duties in making the girl more
womanly. But is il not the case? III
a girl is taught from the first that
certain home cares fall to her lot as
matter of course, will she not adapt
herself to the home-making work
The girl who intends to go out and
seek a career will doubtless laugh TINS
idea to scorn. but If she does. 1t is be-
cause she was started wrong. From
her childish years she should nave
been called upon to do her share in
taking care of the home and making
il attractive. While she Is still very
Young she can be instructed in the
mysteries of busting and In SUCH
small duties and as she grows older
she can look after her own room and
keep the living rooms attractive.
Then there comes the time that
nearly every girl finds interesting
when she Is allowed to do little
cooking. Now that the sensible plan
has been introduced of giving cook
ing lessons in public schools there Is
ahn.,oa Cor childran To learn Snmefhing