The Glenwood post., 1904-04-16
TINE FAULTS OF THE GIRL OF THE PERIOD
Continued from page ~

| In pressing ner own OPINION upon
others. She is thoughtful about do
ing 1.-The little kindnesses that most
leave undone or despise
Here are two specimens of what l
call really nice girl. There are a
good many of them in the world for
which we may thank Heaven and ju
dicious mothers But, alas there
are others of another type.
l know several of the latter sort.
but one will serve as an example. She
is college graduate and 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
ly 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 collegea Is she
not young2 Does she not keep up
with the timesS Go to, ye back
numbers The girl of the period has
spoken and the point is settled
AS matter of course, the two girls
OF whom ! spoke first have as good a
right 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 involved,
but fancy the meaning is tolersbly
clear The girls who have an undue
sense of their own importance, who
are lacking in Difference to their ell
those about them and in modest
esteem of their own Importance, are
in the majority. | don like to own
it, but am afraid it is the truth If
it is, what is the mattert
There will be found large mum ber
of conservatives who will lay it ALL
or nearly all, to athletics. They will
declare that the outdoor sports for
which girls have become so keen dur
ing the past few years are response BILE
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 basket ball and row
boats and ride wheels and take part in
track and field meets and are yet
gentlewomen to yield credence to any
such sweeping condemnations of ath
letic pursuits. And yet, what is the
matterI
1t is hard thing for one woman to
criticise other women and still harder
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 CT the faults of
the girlsf Have they not made
mistake somewhere in the early train
ing of their daughtersa 1t cannot be
altogether the sins of the latter. either
hereditary or acquired. If the moth
ers had held the right relationship
with the girls from the time the little
creatures left the nursery, along
through school life and out into soci
ETY., would not the young woman of
the present day be a rather different
product3
Perhaps it may sound hopelessly
old fogeyish to press the value Of,
domestic duties in making the girl
more womanly But is it not the
casef If 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 IN aking
work? The girl who intends to go
out and seek career will doubtless
laugh this idea to scorn, but if she
does, it is because she was started
wrong. From her childish years she
should have been called upon to do
her share in taking care of the home
and making it attractive. While she
is still very young she can be instruct
ed in the mysteries of dusting 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 a little
cooking. Now that the sensible plan
has been introduced of giving cook
ing lessons in public schools there is
chance for children to learn some
thing of cookery outside of their own
homes. The effect is often very no.
ticeable. The child goes home eager
to attempt some of the new dishes
she has made under the teacher
supervision. The mother is guilty of
grave blunder who does not en-