The San Francisco call., 1905-05-11
MOTHERHOOD AS
A PROFESSION
BY ANGELA MORGAN.

s'Is there not more soul culture IN
motherhood and more mental ols-
cipline in delicious cooking and in the
artistic ARRANGEMENT of a home than
there can possibly be in studying dead
languages and modern ologies? L
trust you will give your views on the
two ways of culture %
I am glad to answer these timely
questions of reader. The subject Is
one which is agitating educators and
thinkers just now as never before.
The world is beginning to see that
knowledge. unless applied and en-
bodied. Is practically useless and
serves as a handicap rather than
means of development to human be-
ings.
Regarding the higher education OF
woman. thoughtful minds are seeing
that unless she can bring her learn
ing to bear upon domestic problems.
unless she employs her knowledge in
the Improvement of the home and the
better rearing of children. her educa-
ton profits little. Without question
these are the channels through which
the feminine intellect should express
itself
No profession offers woman so great
an opportunity for the employment OF
her highest abilities as that Oh
motherhood. The woman who mas
educated" herself to so lofty plane
that she fails to see this is to be pitied'
for in the end 1t is herself she cheats
Her culture serves only TO make ner
introspective, discontented, unhappy,
useless TO the world.
When any woman directs her entire
attention to cultivating her intellect
and her tastes. without the thought OF
applying her knowledge to human
problems. or of making herself a more
helpful individual thereby. she Is
bound TO become selfish and in sense
superficial.
The best place for the application
of knowledge is the home. The most
brilliant opportunities for achievement
lie there. The training of children and
the management of home call for
talents of the highests order.
Present indications to the contrary.
l believe women are coming to see
this truth as never before. Paradox
ical as it may seem, that very higher
education which is turning the fem
mime mind away from domestic chan
nels is leading il back to them
The woman of to-day, because of
her awakened intelligence. can see
that motherhood is a science and that
she must train herself for it. A broad
er understanding, a more intimate as
sociation with the world, are undoubt-
L, Z, \
sex to see just how nightly important
it is that the home should be pre-
served.
The old fashioned mother did not
need training, you remark. She fol-
lowed her instincts and she was right.
Very true. But the woman Of the
present represents another step in the
evolution of the sex. With the devel-
opment of her intellect her reasoning
powers, instinct does not serve her as
it formerly did. She must know. She
must understand. the why and where
fore of things. This is as it should
be. We cannot but regard present
conditions as an inevitable phase in
the development of woman and we
cannot but believe she will prove her.
self to be a better mother and home
maker for the freedom and advance
ment she has enjoyed.
There is no danger in higher edu-
cation for women if women will but
apply it in the making of better
homes But danger does lie in won-
ans failure to do this. Let women
turn their talents and their culture to
the problem of reinstating the home
as an institution. Let them employ
their education in the intelligent rear
ing of children.
There could be no achievement
greater than this.