Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-15
CLAIMING THEIR RIGHTS"
Breaking Away From Old Customs
and Learning Professions.
RESTRICTIONS OF SCHOOLS
Many People in Netherlands Still
Believe It Undignified in Wom-
en- to Work for Pay.


of the increased interest Dutch women
are taking in every movement which con-
Germs the welfare of their sex. In this
they are simply reverting to former
state Of things. for in the days or Hoi-
lands greatest prosperity, when she was
generally recognized as the most culti-
waited and wealthest nation in Europe, the
influence Of her women was all-powerfuL.
Then came, the war of independence
one of the most awful pages of European
history, and we know that the splendid
courage Of the women, when they stooo
side by side with their menfolk in resist
ing the Spaniards. has never been sur
passed. Gradally the republic sank, ana
the high position occupied by the women
sank with it. until they reached the level
of dull mediocrity. One writer on the
subject tells us that 'the fact that the
decline Of the republic and of the female
sex went hand in hand is indubitable
and the more we study Dutch history the
more convinced do we become that he Is
right.
Times Changing.
But now ''old times have changed, old
manners gone; the Dutch women are
realizing that the maternal and domestic
are not the only legitimate spheres open
to them. valuable and necessary though
these be- They are beginning to remem-
Der the deeds Of their ancestors "in the
brave days of Old and they are coming
forward and claiming their rights In
civic, political, professional and industrial
life In every direction. The women SUI
frage party is very active, and has pre-
scented a petition to the queen, putting
forward its demands. There seems every
chance that ere long it will be successful.
for public opinion Is coming round. ana
the report of the commission appointed TO
revise the constitution, which was issued
last year contained a recommendation in
favor of women's suffrage. The govern
ment has submitted to the states general
a bill modifying the constitution, and
among the proposed changes is one winch
cOnfers the right of voting on women.
The result is still uncertain but the wom-
ems party has friends among all political
and religious sections in the country, and
it is evident that this reform cannot be
long delayed.
Naturally Clever.
Dutch women Of the upper and middle
classes are now taking their share in
much Of the strenuous work OF the men,
and they are doing 1t we'll. They are nat
urally very clever, and always we'll edu-
Gated; they speak at least one language
beside their own; generally two. French
and German being the most popular. 1t
has been said that the women Of the up
per classes are cleverer than the men;
but though the majority do not enter pro-
LESSONS, every year sees the NUMBER In
creasing, and at the last census out OF
1886 professions followed in the country,
nearly half the number were practiced by
women AS they are still without politi-
cal rights, they are not eligible for occu-
pations in the government, provinces or
for these the franchise is
necessary. The universities are fully
open to them. and 21S women were study
Ing in them in 19O5-1O6 at Amsterdam,
"a at Leyden and 80 at Utrecht They
take the same degrees as men. and there
is no law to prevent them from obtaining
posts as university professors; In fact,
one lady has already done SO. and last
year Mile. Loke. a doctor OF letters and
teacher in the Secondary School for Girls
at The Hague, was appointed to the pro-
fessorship Of French language and liter
ature in the University Of Groningen.
Women Teachers.
The teaching profession is largely re-
cruited from women. but as many of the
grammar and classical schools will not
greatly handicapped in their efforts to
obtain a good education. which is. Of
course, a necessary preparation for uni
versity career. There are higher burgher
schools for girls, which are very cheap
fhe charges ranging from "a to ESQ a
year,, and the teachers in these must
either have diplomas or be graduates of
one of the universities. The education
given in these schools is very good and
practical. In literature Dutch women
more than hold their own. l have just
mentioned the honor conferred upon one
woman. and three years ago Miss
Johanna Naber won the prize offered by
the society known as Teyler's GenOots-
chap for the best historical essay on the
period of French dominion in the Meth
erlands, 1910 to 1913. This is distinc-
ton eagerly sought after, and the winner
is generally sure of future advancement,
a university professorship not infrequent-
ly resulting. One of the first Dutch poets
is Helena Lapidoth Swarth, whose works.
we are told increase In worth and
beauty every year. Her command of the
Dutch language and her power of wrest-
ing from it literary resources which are
by any other writer have
made her the admiration of all critics Of
Working Women.
1t must be borne In mind, however,
that, though women are winning their
way to distinction in every department of
work, the majority still keeps in the back
ground. The antiquated idea that it is
degrading for lady to do any work for
which she receives payment obtains
among many Dutch people. Neither do
the women of leisure take as active
part In public life as they do in England.
1t is still an unusual thing for a woman
to appear on public platform and de-
liver a speech. The sOlidarite des femmes
Of which We hear SO much in France is
hardly known in Holland. though every
year sees more women brought into the
The women of the working classes are
also gradually making their way into
positions denied to them until lately.
Women ere now employed in the govern
ment postal and Geographic departments,
but only the lowest and worst-paid places
are given to them, and the same may
be said of the railway companies. where
they are employed in increasing numbers.
Many are engaged as railway watchers,
and they are remunerated at the rate of
3 pence a day. Wages are SO low In
Holland among the working classes that
the women and girls Of a family have to
contribute to the home exchequer when
ever they are able.
katharine pneaS