The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-02-03
Women in Our E ubIic Life
An Address by Mrs Bryce Wife of the Recently Appointed
British Ambassador the United States

1t is not generally known, al least IN
this country. that Mrs. Bryce. wife Of the
new British Ambassador, is herself an ac-
.complished public speaker, and that she
has taken active part in public affairs for
many years. as have many other British
women. She was for number OF years
a member Of the Aberdeen Liberal AssO-
citation, a political organization composed
of women. and has often addressed their
meetings. At d recent gathering Of this
association in Aberdeen. Mrs. Bryce was
presented with a Cairngorm necklace with
a Douglas heart as a token OF the affec-
ton and admiration of the association. 1t
was Mrs Bryces last appearance before
the association prior TO her departure for
America, and she took occasion, in re-
Spouse 10 the address Of the president, TO
review the development of women's work
during the last fifty years. The Aberdeen
Free Press gives the following abstract
of Mrs Bryce's address.
Il always interested her greatly when
she thought over the developments Of the
last fifty years to see how extraordinarily
women had come forward in an sorts OF
public work and in professions. and in
various other kinds Of work IN a way that
they never dreamed Of before They might
attribute that fact probably to this, that
about fifty years ago there was a great
movement for the improvement Of
womeu's education. Before that women
had. il was true. been educated in d Ger
tain way. and certain individuals had
probably been able TO cultivate themselves
l-4c~1frr
in England received what might be called
a very imperfect education and certainly
not one that fitted them for work Of the
kind they did now.-The advance and
progress that was made in all the institu-
tons FOR educating women, the classes
that had been established, the colleges
that had been formed. ana the great i'm
provement IN all the classes gave the
movement great push forward, and not
only with the result that women were bet
ter educated than before. but with the
result that they wanted 10 do other things
than their mothers had done before them
Not only did they want TO do other things
but they were really qualified and able TO
90 them in a way they had never done be
fore. Whether IL was a gain that women
should do some of the things that they
seemed anxious 10 try 70 do at the present
day was a question. They knew that
when women took anything in hand they
were apt to do ii with such strenuoUsness
and such intense earnestness and cOncen-
tratiOn thar they often OveTdid it. and
worked themselves down IN an unneces-
s7ry way because there was no restraint
in their aTdor. 50 that there was some
thing TO be said on that side. But that
the movement had been for the general
good Of the movement nobody could be in
doubt This progress in education and
these greater opportunities for a wider
life and a more interesting life in many
ways had been q very good thing. and
had the result Of making women COmpe-
tent 10 do work. and Of opening up great
variety Of professions that never were
opened TO them before.
Her Personal Experience.
She could speak with a little knowledge
Of this because she happened 70 be chair
man Of a bureau for the employment OF
educated women situated in London,
whose duty il was TO find a greater va
riety OF remunerative occupations for wo-
men. That association was constantly
iaadng inquiry ia all directions 10 Try %
find out where there was opportunity for
wGmen's W0Tk-work which could be done
as well by properly-qualifed, trained wo-
men as by men. There We're q great many
women who from their own choice or from
some other reason had not got husbands
10 look after them, and were occasionally
obliged to make some sort of effort to
earn their living. or increase what means
they might possess. Hence the demand
for all those new professions. Those
ladies in course of tine were able 10 take
up work which they never thought Of be-