The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-07-05
There is No anew Woman"- Humankind IS
is Making Progress, and Woman, as Well
as Man, is Sharing in that Progressively
that, and Nothing More.
Address Of Judge w. @. Benet at Commence
ment Exercises of Due West Female
College, June, 1905.

during the last hundred years In opening vi
| to woman the avenues 10 knowledge, and II
| breaking down the barriers 10 her higher ed
ucation, which the pride, the prejudice, anc
| the ignorance OF man had for so Iopg maln
| tanned. 1t is not 100 much TO say that create
advance was made In providing for woman Z
education during the last century than In al
| the previous eighteen centuries; and 10 these
| Upited States must be given the forenos
| place in that march OF progress.
True, there have heen highly ed1cateo
learned women In all ages. But while one
here. one there-as Aspasia. Constantine
| Queen Elizabeth, Lady Jane Grey. ar
women In other lands held aloft the torch o
woman's education and banded II dowo from
century 10 century, still was each OF them
AS star when only one
Is shining In the sky.
THE OLD CURRICULUM.
Still for the woman OF high or OF low degree
the foil course OF study was limited TO the old
, arrow. we'll known cnrriculum-"to pray tc
God, to love man, TO knit and 10 sew"
There is q Chinese proverb u hich Rays
"For men to cultivate virtue is knowledge
for women 10 renounce knowledge is virtue
This seemed 10 be the opinion of men In
countries nearer home than the Celestial
Kingdom.
Leasing said .'Tbe woman who thinks Is
like the man who puts on rougt-ridiculous.'
Voltaire saio "Ideas are like boards wo-
men and young men have none."
When Madame Dacier published her trans
lation OF Callimachus, Queen Christina ol
Sweden thus reproved her: "Such pretty
learned?"
You remember DR.. Samuel Johpsop's re-
mark: "Sir, q woman preaching ts like 8
dogs walking on Ibis hind legs. 1t is moi
done we'll, but you are surprised TO find II
done at all"
To the same effect spoke The witty Dr. Ma.
ginn We like 10 hear few words Of sense
from woman, as We do from parrot, be-
snse they are unexpected"
Even the sanity George Herbert cried
"Beware OF a Latin-bred woman"
But why multiply quotations Of this kind
They are 10 be found plentiful as black berries
in the works OF the poets and the poetasters.
the wits, sartirists and essayists OF the GEN.
turtles.
THE MARCH OF PROGRESS.
How we have changed all that! 1t lie the
glory OF the nineteen century that now q wo-
man may acquire the highest education
without being derlded an 'bluestocking-
that men now believe that woman may be-
learned Without being pedantic, clever With.
out being eccentric, writer OF books and yet
a fond wife and gentle mother. And we now
see all over this broad land, and In Great
Britain and other countries, schools, acade.
OF woman, where opportunity is given her to
pursue courses Of study from which until the
last century she was almost universally de
barred.
It is ip behalf of that higher and completer
education OF woman that stand here TO day
speaking 10 the students OF Due West Female
Conege. Not opy do l desire that you
should enjoy to the utmost he advantages OF
u collegiate curriculum. but am here 10 urge
upon you the Importance, nay, more, the
duty Of pursuing post graduate course oil
study after you have left the college class
rooms and returned TO your homes not, per
hsps, as varied and exacting course as that
| which for some Of you is today happily end.
ed, but still such an one as shall occupy part
Of each day so nrohtably and pleasantly as TO
spare you the humiliation OF having TO con-
tess, II have lost day."
BETWEEN COLLEGE AND MARRIAGE.
Between the position Of a young woman
and young man who have just been gradu-
ated there is great difference. When the
young men OF the graduating class OF Erskine
College receive their diplomas they go, one
| TO the bar. another 10 the pulpit, another
to the practice Of incidence, one 10 his
! sooner shall they step outside the college
campus than they will be confronted by We
duties OF active life. This is a compulsory
education lion law n Which lhey cannot ao evsds but
and study, only 10 matriculate at once in the
college OF work and active life. But the
young women of the graduating class Of g
| Female College return 10 their homes, there
| TO abide under the parental roof-tree-hoW
long?
And just here we are brought face to face
| with TACT, great fact, which will not be
| put down, and which II were wrong and
or try TO ignort-the fact that marriage Ia The
| destined lot OF man and woman. Exceptions
really prove the rule. Strong minded women
and weak minded men may discuss The ques
tion which for q while, in magszlne
and ne~sl apers, cbtruded itself SO much ur
on public attention, "Is Marriage q Fail
ure! But the rest Of the world, the men anc
the women with warm hearts and 3ounC
beads. our young men and maIdens-nol jus
TO make the experiment and put the proposl
tion TO a crucial test. but because i" Ills thei
nature to-" will 60 on falling in love-HeaVer
bless them land marrying and giving II
marriage, as IL was In the days OF Noah ant
will be as long az the moon endureth.
And this is well, this is right. Marriage Il
man and woman u is by far the most serious
most momeptous event-except not to marry
lis 1t a solemn thing TO marry" said th
wise Grandmother 10 the young girl. "It'
sol inner not TO-" She replied.
To young men and meidens, graduates O
colleges, The difference with reference 10 NJ ar
riage consists in this-that the young maj
m ust 60 10 work TO achieve position in th
preparation ior marriage while the eoileg
bred girl With maidenly modesty walt unde
the roOt OF latper and mother until he shal
come, the choosing and the chosen one, VIII,
Is more than all the world to her. Ia this in
terval of time between college and marriage
be II one, tw o. three, four or more years, to b
unprofitably spent In maiden medila alton
II Ia 10 be passed In 1deness and levity9
1t to hang heavy on your hands9 Or Is it L
be flied with Interesting studies and improv
ing occupation?
HOW TO SPEND THIS INTERVAL.
How best to spend this interval. l pur
pose now 10 give you some suggestions AM
if on ly one OF you shall in old age look bacI
on this hour and bless me for what l saio
great and sufficient shall be my reward.
The rejecting mind will agree with me an
confess that In the life OF a young woman {
liberal education the most Important IL IN
period between college and marriage. The
more than at any other time are habits TO b
formed upon which the worthiDess and haL
pipess and usefulness oflife will depend. !
is trte "a ying but true as 1t is trite. that III
most an d best that school and college can do 10
students is TO teach them how 10 teach them
2 selves. have Hready indicated how a col
lege bred man, be he doctor, lawyer, clergy
] man, farmer or merchant, is at once CON
PEELED 10 go TO school in the college OF acllV
3 life, and there be taught by constant contat
5 with men and commerce with affairs; thu
9 keeping more or less alive and bright thos
I Intellectual fires which without fuel wi
I most surely 60 out IL utter darkness. Co
= lege bred women having no similar posi-
8 graduate course, I would urge you II 70
8 would keep alive the lamp Of learning whic
Q now Is In your hands brightly burning,