The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-01-23


|A/g GILMAN Is clear and original
| thinker, who goes thru the
\ world with her eyes wide open.
| The results Of her seeing and
thinking are interesting and stimulating.
as is shown in her new book, ''The
Home that is coming to the front rap
idly as popular theme for public discus
! sion. In its many sided consideration OF
home problems it will afford material for
many and widely varied arguments, but
perhaps no phase will be of wider inter-
est than Mrs. Gilman's discussion Of do
nestle, entertainment, society In it's
common acceptance. While many readers
! are unable to accept fully in their logical
conclusions the authors main contentious
in regard to the economic errors held re-
speeding the home, very many will agree
! heartily with her views Of the relation OF
| the home and Of women to society.
| Mrs. Gilman reserves the home wholly
| for the family, and, at most, few fam
iliar" friends 1.-THE wider range Of friend
ship, actual and potential, that the human
not possible at home" The broad graded
list Of mans associates, friends Of all
degrees, many of whom he never thinks
of bringing into his home, Is cited in proof
that this is quite normal. Women, not
having this opportunity for free associa-
tion,. have evolved its sterile substitute Of
society, which does not In the least sat
isfy them, as is shown by the constant
and feverish seeking after change.
The present condition Of which society
IS the symptom is thus stated by Mrs. Gil
man: 1.-THE human beings best growth re-
quires a happy, quiet, comfortable home,
| with peace and health, order and beauty
| in it's essential relations. The human being
also requires right social relation, the
work he is best suited to, full range Of ex-
preston in that work, and intercourse
| free and spontaneous with his kind.
I43r, k1,nxY oil
lowed the first class Of relations the do
nestle but are denied the other-the so
cial. Hence they are forced to meet a
| normal need In an abnormal way. with
inevitable evil results"
Among the evil Of our ideas and meth
DDS Of domestic entertainment besides the
obvious ones of luxury, extravaganza,
tdleness, Ill health, whitening family life,
Mrs Gilman brings forth the paradoxical
one Of loneliness. She says: I'VE are for
ever and forever focktng together, being
brought together, arranging to meet peo-
pie, to be met by people, to have other
people meet each other, and meanwhile
life passes and we have not met!
And here are the remedial suggestions,
for Mrs Gilman is not content with mere
destructive criticism: For truth and
health and honest friendliness, for the
bringing out Of the best there Is In us, for
the maintenance Of a pure and restfu1
home life and the development Of an in
spring and fruitful social life. we need
some other medium Of association than
domestic entertainment. And we are rap
idly finding it. The woman's club Is
most healthy field Of contact, and the wo-
mans clubhouse offers legitimate COM
mon ground for large gatherings.
Given healthy active life of true So
cial usefulness for all women and given q
full accommodation Of public rooms for
public gatherings, and the whole thing
takes care of itself. The enormous de-
mand for association will be met legiti-.
mately. and the satisfied soul will gladly
return from that vast field Of social life
to the restful quiet, the loving intimacy,
the genuineness Of home life.with It's con-
slant possibilities Of real hospitality and
the blessings Of true friendship
It will be seen that the purpose Of re-
forming society Is to benefit the real life
of the home, for while Mrs. Gilman's In
dustrial and economic proposals seem to
! many iieconcilablo with such q home pic