The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-03-27
WoMAN's SPHERE.


ern educators who have written Supt.
Smith, of the public schools, advoca-
ting the segregation of the sexes as
soon as the course in the lower school
grades has been completed, did not
give some better reason than the an
tiquated one that woman is being edu-
Gated beyond her sphere. Many people
of both sexes who believe firmly in such
segregation will cavil at this very poor
excuse for a reason which the Eastern
pressed opinion. There was a time
when all the world believed that the
man who was born peasant must re-
| main peasant, no matter what his
mental equipment might be. He was
in the peasant sphere and had no BUSH
ness fixing his eyes on any other. But
early in the eighteenth century it
ceased to be the fashion to believe in
spheres in a restrictive sense. The
individual was. permitted to reach out
for other spheres, the presumption be-
ing that since his happiness was the
chief consideration he would strive
only for that which promised to insure
it. And the presumption proved to be
a correct one. The majority of men
recognize their own limitations and
they refuse to place themselves where
the consciousness of such limitations
will make them uncomfortable and I'M
happy.
1t is just recently that women have
recognized the fact that they have no
sphere in the restrictive sense of the
word, that they may dwell where there
is the best prospect of finding happi-
ness. Because Of the suddenness of
the emancipation, they have been just
little dazzled and have mistaken a
shadow for a substance. 1t cannot be
Der Of restless, nervous, disconnected
women in the Western world today,
and it cannot be denied, either, that
the sudden emancipation is the result
of it. But woman can no more be
pushed back in the confines of sphere
that the world once assigned to her
than the old man of the sea could be
placed back in the bottle. Once hav-
ing been granted the privilege Of seek
ing her own happiness, she will never
be persuaded to forego it. But there
is hope that in the near future wom-
ans common. sense will assert itself
and she will come to understand her
self, her needs and her limitations bet
ter. Any system of education is fool
ish that seeks constantly to pit the
mental strength of one sex against
that of the other. 1t is foolish because
it is unnecessary, for the world long
ago recognized the fact that there is
mental equality between the sexes.
But because they are well matched
mentally is no reason why their pur-
suits should be the same. In fact it is
an excellent reason why they shouldn't
be. The very admission of an equality
makes the constant assertion of it by
a system of co-education unnecessary,
and each individual, therefore, without
further concern, is at liberty to devote
himself or herself to that which will
bring her or him the largest return in
the way Of happiness. Since their
emancipation it must be confessed that
the majority of women have rather
wasted their efforts and their return
has been meager. But they are learn
ing wisdom through unhappiness, and
the time will surely come when they
will return to the simpler life. They
will do this, however, of their own ac-
cord, and not because certain individ-
uals advise loudly that they be return
ed to their sphere