Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-17

Are we progressing or retrograding as
mothers2"
DO we bring up our daughters on more
rational lines or less than did the mothers
OF two or three generations back?"
These were the astonishing questions
which the members of a midwestern wom-
ans club announced for discussion at their
first meeting in 1906. Whether the discus
sion was intended ais an answer to ex-
President Cleveland and other critics of
women's clubs in general, or merely as a
suggestion of maternal progress during the
first. five years of the twentieth century
was not stated. but the result was a dis
tinct appreciation of the efforts put forth
by mothers of today
The club voted that the mother today de-
sired to accomplish these results in the up
bringing of her daughters:
"Endow them with health, and they will
be beautiful. Give them training in some
practical line Of work and they will be
useful. Health. beauty and usefulness
make for true happiness. Happiness Is sue
cess of the highest type"
Some of the members Of this club have
white hair; some are matrons of a few
years only. The comparisons instituted
were interesting and Illuminating.
First to health:
A hundred years ago girl was born
healthy or delicate. and she never thought
of fighting the fate which was supposed to
be hers. either because of the influence of
heredity or the ignorance of those to whose
care she had been intrusted. delicate
girl was regarded as rather interesting
Callers enjoyed hearing her detail symp
toms. Mothers reveled in the sympathy
showered upon them by friends whose
daughters We're vulgarly healthy.
The delicate girl was guarded like a hot
house plant No breath of air ever touched
her. Screens We're drawn about her by day
and at night she slept in room whose
windows were packed all around with rags
or strips of newspapers, while a lamp
smoked and sputtered to add TO the gen
eraI foulness of the atmosphere. If she
went out at all in winter she was swathed
in wraps and thickly yelled. Above all
things, she must not exercise, lest she
bring on hemorrhages from her delicate
lungs. Quite generally her shoulders
drooped and so did the lines of her mouth.
Her face remained pathetically girlish, her
complexion was delicate and transparent,
her eyes were wistful with watching for
relief by death. She was resigned TO the
wrong thing.
Too Resigned.
Matrimony played no part in her day
dreams. She had no future save that be-
yond the grave. She spent her time GRO
cheting or knitting shawls for other inva-
lids and innulnerable sacques and bootees
for the babies belonging to her girlhood
friends now risen to the estate Of matri-
mony And by and by she died. II was
the one thing she was given chance to do.
The opportunity, nay, the right, TO night 1or
better health was never given to her
Then delieacy went out OF fashion Sane
men and women were bored by symptoms
and remedies. Invallds were neglected.
Mothers discovered that a semi-invalid was
not regarded as fashionable nor a house
hold treasure. The girl who had once been
termed a tomboy became a desirable article
on the matrimonial market. and young
NH mas sed into the strenuous
of enthusiastic physical culture. And from
too jealous physical culture sprang ration
al methods of bringing up girls.
Today a trained nurse presides over the
nursery In every wealthy family. Her mis-
sion Is not to nurse invalids in the circle Of
young people but to nip the first symptoms
of illness in the bud.
An Outdoor Course.
If a girl loses color, becomes anemic,
turns stoop-shouldered. loses interest in
life. she is not doped with cod-liver oil and
cooped up in a steam-heated fat, but she
is taken promptly from school and given
course in outdoor life You can see the lit
tie daughters of the rich, bare-footed and
hatless, playing on private beaches In the
summer. You can find girls in their teens
camping In the Adirondacks and Catskills
every summer. sleeping on pine boughs in
the open air and training like athletes I'M
der young woman who has studied for
just such service. The average American
womanS waist Is two inches larger around
in 1906 than 1t was in 1sG0, andAhe respir-
atory organs have gained by ~ change.
The belle of the first empire laced her stays
numerically and pinehed her Eeet relent-
iessy. The well-brought-up girl of today
treats her body properly because she knows
the innermost workings of this marvellous
piece OF divine mechanism. When she is
told to do certain thing she asks "Why?"
and receives an answer.
Fifty years ago IL a girl was born with
some terribIe defect of face or figure suci,
as club foot. a twisted shoulder or n
curved spine, she either underwent rare
surgical operation tafter the affifction had
been given ample time to get It's grip upon
her supple young BODY she went
through life ''redgne6' like her delicate