The Mena weekly star., 1908-05-21
FROM RIB
 TO RIBBON
An Essay Delivered by Miss Callie Jones, valedictorian of the High School Class of 1908, at the Com mencement Exercises May IS, 1908


 ing or for companion in the whole universe. Imagine this man, although in the garden oi Eden, surrounded by all the won derful beauties of nature, which God had prepared for him, but without companion. All that he now needed to crown the happiness of his life was help meet. God looked down upon him in sympathy and saw that il was not good for man to be alone, so He caused deep sleep to fall upon man and while he slept God took for his side rib from which He made woman. This woman He brought to Adam to be his lifetime companion.
 Someone has said "The rib was taken from the side of man to make woman to be companion by his side; it was taken from under his arm, which signifies his protection; it came from near est his heart, signifying that she must be the great object of his affection"
 Ia the early history of woman little or no attention was given to dress. Then there was not a new way to make each dress, or a new fashioned coat or hat to buy every few months. But as wom- an advanced in the stages of civilization fashion became more predominant, and this state of affairs has gone on and on until now fashion sways the world.
 In this day beauty of face and dress is more often noticed than beauty of character. It is not to the discredit of woman to be beautiful or to be dressed Tn the most fashionable clothes of the day, but it is rather a great pleasure to her and her friends. But is this the highest aim of woman? Is ribbon all there is to life? No, the ribbon has not the slightest relation to the true con- ception of womanhood. There are the finer sensibilities and tastes to develop and above all a character to build and sustain, and as woman was made not to be so much companion as a help-meet for man, she ought to strive to help in all ways that she can. She ought to make his home bright and cheerful aud not only that, but encourage and aid him in his commercial life.
 Why have we spent so much of our time in school, when we could have been out in the world en- toying the frivolities of life! Be- cause we wished rather than to have few gay times, to develop our minds and cultivate our tastes sv that we might be pre- pared to carry out those responsi- bilities and occupations which are continually being opened up to woman.
 But what has been the means of bringing about these oppor' tuuities? What has placed woma in her present position. Ia the early days of Greece and Rome she was not allowed to appear ir public or meet the friends of hel husband, even in her own home but 1t was thought that she wa: & not worthy of an education ant z that her mind could not be trained so as to receive or retain thu knowledge that was given to tn men.
 In the healhen nations toda' # you will find that woman is no # educated and is held in the loves
 aud most degraded place. Il
 some sections, far remote iron # civilization, she is not though
 10 be the equal of slave.
 But when Christ was on cart 8 he placed great honor on woman < and Christianity is what ha
 brought about the cultivation 0
 woman's talents, for 1t has take \ her from a place of servitude an
 put her in a place of honor, au # in our Christian nations woma # is respected and her superiorit
 IS recognized, and today the IT # fluence of the world is in th
 hands of women. She IS th
 guardian and protector of he M home. She OccuDieS the pOSittO