The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-04-01
WOMAN'S TALK ON DIVORCE.
THE DEAN or BARNARD AID
DRESSES PACKER ALUMNB.

Education Of women Not the Cause Of
More Frequent Divorces, but the Ocea'
slon-The Cause the Unending 8truG'
sic between Authority and Autonomy
Miss Laura Drake Gill. dean OF Barnard
ColleRc, was the guest Of honor at re-
oeption Of the alumnR Of Packer Collegiate
institute. In Packer Chapel, Brooklyn,
yesterday afternoon, where che talked
on the education Of women In TelaUon
10 marriage and divorce. ....
Beyond dispute, a crisis in family life
exists she said referring to divorce,
"and the greater education Of women Is
said to be its cause, Shall We not rather
cal il the occasion? The cause is still
DEEPER. Il h the unending struggle be-
tween authority and autonomy.
The present situation seems TO be merely
the chaos Of transition; It corresponds
20 the stage;of anarchy by which govern
ment must too often pass from absolute
monarchy to democracy-or to the ag-
Mysticism byi which religion breaks the
chains Of an artificial authority before
It acknowledges the true authority Of viz
tue and communion
The present family crisis Is undoubtedly
Occasioned by the greater education and
consequent economic independence OF
women In general; IL is, however, mani
tested through individual women who
share the economic freedom but lack the
discipline Of education. Frequent divorce
is the result of the education Of women as
refracted through the medium Of unedu'
Gated women. They grasp the freedom OF
escape from an unwise marriage, yet lack
the training to make a wise marriage
In wide acquaintance with college
women have personally known only one
case of divorce This was carried through
without scandal or auy offence 70 pubic
morals. Among high school graduates
limited inquiry would indicate a small
percentage Of divorce. IL u the girls OF
luxurious homes Of whom little effort Is
demanded The girls Of the middle class
whose fathers support them in ease, but
fail TO educate them for service; the girls
OF the laboring classes with limited training
and heavy burdens these girls make
the women in whose lives the restless spirit
OF the times may work sad havoc. They
have not been trained to look upon mar
TiaRe as q serious chance for service, but
merely as an opportunity TO escape self
support They have the courage and
decency TO demand ordinary loyalty and
fair play from men, yet they often fail to
realize their own obligations.
we need, then, not less chance OF escape
from intoleTable conditions, but a truer
conception Of family dignity; not less
economic Independence for women. but
more sense of its responsibility; not less
education for women, but more education
for all women.
THE economic function OF women Is in
the home, where the wife and mother spend
four-hfths Of the average mans earnings.
II women who spend their time aimlessly
about shops would take that time 70 think
about the expenditure Of money they
would save time, money and happiness.
Women must be taught that the eIpendi-
ture Of money Is their profession and they
must make il a science-not mania. Every
woman ought 10 have profession Of wise
expenditure and Of wise housekeeping
@More true education for the mass OF
women il the need Of the hour education
IN efficiency. education in loyalty to the
State, education in the way to produce
healthy, intelligent, devoted race; but, above
al, education in the responsibility for the use
Of our individual lives. The arbitrary
authority OF marriage laws OF the individual
husbands will then become obsolete before
an autonomy based upon the inward au-
thority Of conscience and reason
Tea and refreshments were served in the
reception rooms after the lecture.