New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-10-22
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20. ON lNzlEyAS
AS TO SCHOOLGIRLS AND SCHOOL mAAm

I
we have been told for generation past"
said the Observant Woman, that it was the
German schcomaster at Sedan because
the Germans overcome with shame at past de-
feats by the French. had put their nation to
school Now we hear that it Is the japanese
schoonaster who has beaten the illiteTate Rus
slams and the race that trains its children best
becomes dominant, they tell
IF that is true. what is going to happen some
day to the race that pays its teachers less than
its mechanics. domestic servants and street
cleaners We cannot be too thankful to the
circumstances that have forced great body of
the best young women in the nation into the
public schools and kept them there. But that
time is almost at an end. With every year
widening opportunities will take more and more
of these women out of the schoolroom into lines
where they can make more money. Then this
/ nation viii have to begin to pay at least as
much for its schools il does for its cooking
see them deteriorate.'
THAT familiar cry Overworb in the public
schools viii be shortly due" continued the OBJ
servant Woman. Mothers once more will be
called upon to decide whether their high school
daughters shall put their strength into their
studies or into parties night after night. There
is Il good deal to be said on both sides and if
the girl doesn't get some schooling while she is
. young she will probably never get it at all On
the other hand. she will probably never enjoy
parties, dancing and good times generally so
set Of boys and girls who have grown I'D in
school together. It is each mothers privilege
to choose whether she will let her daughter put
her strength into books dancing. But she
can't do both. Late hours. late eating and
element make study impossible in school the
next day.
Then If an ambitious girl breaks down. or
begins to look pale it isn't fair for the mother to
begin to blame the Latin or algebra teacher at
c,,nn O,,l,
ing ner time and strength out of school has she
a right to throw the immediate blame on the
school.
"One mother who sent a succession of daugh-
ters through the high school of her home town,
decided the policy Of that town in regard to
parties during the school year. She established
the lIJisXible rule Friday night only. She al
lowed <hem TO accept all invitations for Friday
night, and If they had none she exerted herself
to arrange something for them in their own
home candy pulls, impromptu dancing or what
not. She interested herself in their Friday night
amusements the year around, but she never per-
mitted them to accept invitation for any
other night in the week in schooltime. She
adamant in this, and gradually other mothers
and the children themselves adopted her plan
and Friday evening became party night the
year around saturday morning she let her girls
sleep late, and her policy was a benefit not only
TO her own daughters, but to the whole COM
munity.
There are still some mothers left who do not
realize that a girl Of fourteen. fifteen sixteen
is 4 good deal more difficult and delicate propo-
stion to handle than one OF five or Of ten The
girls ambitions at their height then; social
and school ambitions. She has little more sense
judgment or knowledge Of the world than her
sister of ten. but her ideas are beginning to be
those of young woman. Her studies are hard
and her still growing body saps her strength. She
IS sensitive, secretive, hard to understand and
sometimes disagreeable to live with. She doesn't
understand herself and she is absorbingly self
centred. Never since her infancy has she re-
CURED such careful watching and good care.
Her clothes need to be watched to that they
are comfortable. Her food needs to be watched
to see that it is nutritious. Her sleep needs to
be watched to see that she gets enough. She
needs to be kept in a cheerful. loving normal
atmosphere, free from all suspicion, prying,
hysteria or emCtionalism. Check her in indoor
sports if necessary, but never in outdoor sports
These are her last years Of growth. If she fin
ishes them big, strong. healthy girl. it is like
ly she VIII be that kind of a all her life"