The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-06-25

put far more value on a years finishing
out Of school than on four years OF hard
studying in college, provided the finishing
Is done in Europe.
while we are away on this trip mean
to divide our time among Germany, France
Italy and England have letters to many
persons moving in the court society OF
each country, and my daughter will have
the chance Of mingling with representative
society in its home instead OK viewing IL
from the outside.
Nothing polishes a girl more than rub
bling up against educated people OF diner-
ent nationalities and hearing their language
spoken with tho most polished accent.
And mean that my daughter shall study
the language OF each country we visit.
and s. far as possible speak it. She shall
have a teacher to converse with her at
least one hour a day and encourage her to
study.
AS a rule the American girls who have
made the most brilliant marriages are
those who know lot about the social GUS
toms and the language OF many countries
fact take pains to point out to my daugh-
ter.
in England, where we stop last before
sailing for home, expect my daughter to
gain knowledge which will be Of immense
advantage to her. This knowledge will
uot &C gained 40 much from the English
girl as from English society in general,
whose customs and manners Americana are
always willing to copy, and with advant-
age to themselves.
Il mean to take my daughter with me
almost everywhere I CO. and supposing
a chance to present her at court offers it
self may take advantage OF it. To my
mind q court introduction IL most ad-
vantageous prelude to an American debut,
although have friends who prefer to post
pone the ceremony till their daughter Ia
old enough to turn it to the best account.
Naturally it depends good deal on who
the girl Is. Some girls have known were
as mature at eighteen as others were at
twenty-three and comparing English and
American girl graduates Of seventeen and
eighteen, the latter seemed to me to be
years the older and certainly far more in
teresting, even though the English girls in
some respects stood in less need OF the
finishing process than did the American
-Ten or fifteen years ago the girl who went
abroad to he finished was the exception, even
among IdIIulAcs VI iuc StCduSbC Wouilu'
Now she is the rule, commented the head Of
a fashionable New York school for girls.
Were the girls themselves consulted, many
would cut out this postgraduate expert
ence entirely, and indeed. when they are close
to eighteen or past 1t on graduation day,
the most that some arents-or, should say,
some mothers--can achieve "a four or five
months stay abroad, ending in time for
coming out party in New York before the
holidays.
sThere Is, and there has been. a good deal
Of talk about the American girl not coming
out so young as she once did and marrying
much later but, however true tho latter as
sertion may be, find that absolutely none
OF the society girls come in contact with Is
willing to wait till she is 10 before making
her formal bow.
aWhat i, more, in order not to cut out the
finishing year on the other side, I have known
q mother to forego the last year at school
over here and transplant her daughter to
the care OF teachers and tutors on the other
side OF the Atlantic.
my opinion Of the value Of q European
finishing for schoolgirl depends altogether
on what sort OF finish this Ia. Travel 10
always moro or less advantageous to any
one, 90 Is chance TO hear foreign language
spoken amid native suTroundings. but