The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-01-01
DR.. wINsroN's ADDRESS ON MRS. SPENCER.

/ VlCLOr on nelOS OF DatCle, nl0 Doom OF
| cannon and crash of shell, but by the
silent prayer and cheerful fortitude OF
her who struggles, alone, 'gGNst pow
erty and sickness. 'gainst tired body,
sad heart and aching nerves, 'gainst
| neglect ingratitude and frequently
| oppression, to maintain in her own
life and that of her household ideals
of living and character that make
| glad the angels in heaven.
| Civilization is maintained, not by the
| lifting up of marble and iron, but by
the steady uplift in character and in
| SEPARATIONS of every human being that
| is born into the world. This is the
work of a woman. And certain is that
/ this work will never be accomplish
| ed except by woman. Ii man were
required, without the aid of woman, to
| rear from infancy, not his neighbours
offspring, but his own it is doubtful
whether the human race would last
| two generations. If man We're forced
to battle, dress, fed, caress, coddle, in
| struct. reprove. spank, nag, and other
! wise rear, train, and educate their in
| FAINT darlinSs, the end of twelve
months would see half the fathers in
| the world victims of suicide, and half
the infants thrown out of the win
| dows. The silliest question ever dis
cussed, either by college sophomoreS
or by ordinary idiots, is whether Wo-
men are the equal of men. There is
only one way for woman TO become
the equal of man, and that is by los
ing half the power she now possesses.
| Isn't Jones half drunk No, not
half drunk; but, if he sobers up for a
week, he viii be then half drunk" If a
woman should lose half her patience
and endurance, tWo-thirds of her sym
pathy and love, three-fourths her
cheerfulness and hopefuness, four
fifths her grace and beauty, FIVE
sixths her tact. and all her faith, she
would then be well started down hill
on the road TO equality with man.
There is much complaint today on
the part of men because women are
invading their professions: pra cticinS
law and medicine, selling goods, type
writing, stenographing, bookkeeping
clerking, pay-maStering, tailoring, mill
operating, working in many lines here
tofore occupied exclusively by man 1t
is especially noticeable, however, that
no man is contending with woman for
the privilege of keeping house and
rearing children. Man is perfectly
willing to surrender this field of labor,
because ii is the most difficult, the
most perplexing, the most complicated,
the most wearing, the most endless,
and the least rewarded, in material re-
wards, of all occupations allotted to
the children of men. This is mans
reason for generously surrendering to
woman these apparently trifliug duties
that lie at the foundation Of civilized
life; and l greatly fear that this is fire.
quently woman'S reason, too, when
she abandons the work that nature
has allotted her, running away from
burdens hard to bear. to take UP the
easier work heretofore monopolized
by man.
Every efficient woman is a better
blacksmith S wife does greater tasks
day by day than the blacksmith. His
work requires strength and skill in
single line; hers, tact, judgment,
cheertulnesS, patience and skill in
many lines. She is cook, laundress,
seamstress, housekeeper, nurse and
teacher. She must also keep up So
cial relations with neighbors, fellow
ship in the church and faith in God.
No wonder she sometimes runs away
from the battle, and seeks diversion
at afternoon teas, discussing the re-
ligion of Swedenborg, the philosophy
of Schopenhauer, or the mysticism OF
BlaVatsky. So, the wife of soldier or
sailor. farmer or merchant lawyer
or doctor, king or president, endures
more, feels more, hopes more. works
more, braves more, and leaves for
humanity and civilization greater re-
suits than can possibly be accom-
plished by him to whom God has not
granted "a woman's heart, a woman's
touch, a woman's instinct and a wo-
mans soul.
BY establishing and maintaining
this college for the training of wo-
men. the State Of North Carolina
recognizes that one of the foremost
duties of government today is educa-
ton and that the work of education
must be performed mainly by women.
Tot i1 CT n
may noble lives in each successive
generation be here nobly dedicated
TO this high work. But let the pupils
who go out from this college remem-
Der that the chief work of education
must be performed not in the school
room. but in the home.
There Is in modern life a strong
and dangerous tendency 10 rely upon
schools for education which should be
given at home. 1t is amazing TO see
how little training is furnished today
in the average home and how much
is expected of schools. 4 collection
of reasons why parents send Their
sons To school or college would make
a pitiful curiosity.
Teach my boy economy" writes
loving mother, 'he is q great spend
thrift When at home, he asks me
for money every day, and | cannot
help giving it to him." Another is
sent Off TO school because at nome
he is lazy and will not work Make
him industrious. Get him up early
in the mornings-at- home he sleeps
till nine o'clock Another needs to
be cured of smoking cigarettes,
habit very offensive to me and his
mother, but which he will not give
up" Another needs TO be separated
from the girls, because he thinks f
nothing else" Another should be
taught politeness and manners, as he
Is rude TO his mother and sisters.
Another has contracted the habit of
staying out at night, giving his
mother great uneasiness and trouble"
Another "eats too fast, swallowing his
food down in a few seconds" Another
lis untidy in person and habits"
Another is careless about telling the
truth. And so the sad story goes,
pictures of unhappy homes, inefficient
fathers and mothers and unframed
children.
One of the chief purposes of edu-
cation today, in my opinion, should
be TO assist in the building up OF
homes. The inefIiciency of the home
is the greatest obstacle TO the WORKS
of the school. The home is funda-
mental. the school is supplemental.
The decay of the home is the greatest
l. NNl Ht,G