The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1908-09-12
THE GIRLS RIGHT TO AN EDUCATION
Plea for the Proper Training of the Future Mothers
of the Race

Of the Race

We know that her work as mothe:
is the most important woman's wolk OF
earth; one knows that she Is miser-
ably incompetent today; that she
chooses badly, bears feeble children
loses an enormous propss ..son of them
and succeeds in rearing the low-grade
average we see.
Still we do nothing to fit her fol
this great task We leave that to in
stinct, now nearly obliterated in the
human race; to prejudice and ignor-
ance and habit: we should consider il
frankly indicate to fit our daughters
to be better mothers. But cooking is
another matter If we make them good
cooks will they not be better mothers
Why do we think so! Are there any
statistics in evidence to establish a re-
lation between culinary excellence and
maternal capacity? Do cooks of un-
questioned ability choose better hus-
bands, bear better children, prove bet
ter educators than some dear mothers
who do not cook we'll, and some who
never cook at all?
Our common assumption is false
one. We shall do we'll to abandon it
altogether and begin to arrange the
education of our children on a sounder
basis
The right of girl to an education is
precisely equal to that of boy.
Equality, it can never be too often
repeated, does not mean similarity.
But the fright" is equal, and, like all
human rights, rests on social advant-
age.
Society must educate its children be-
cause it cannot afford not to; as men,
bers of society, each person has a
right to social advantages. We live
to serve each other. and we cannot
serve we'll without education.
In the years behind us, tbs period
Of what Ward calls ''andro-centric civ
ilization." (man-centred), it was sufi1-
cient to educate the boy. Man was
supposed to be the sole transmitter Of
life, as well as the chief actor in 1t.
and 1t was enough for the woman to
be handsome and virtuous. So people
were born from age to age unframed.
untaught mothers, and their first years
spent in the care of such. 1t is no
wonder that our progress has been slow
and erratic. Now we are learning that
both in heredity and environment the
mother counts most; SO we begin to
educate our girls.
But how? First, 1t was only In
household industry, then in accom-
plishments," THEREAFTER much strug-
gle-in the academic curriculum and
professional studies hitherto reserved
for men. In every case she has shown
equal ability. But the results have
not satisfied us. We see no common
surate improvement in our housekeep-
ing, our child rearing, and no change
in the wider fields of service that seems
to show marked advantage from the
presence of women.
Yet this change, this improvement.
is there, and grows larger daily.
What we need to augment 1t is more
education for the girl, not less; and
that from the cradle. She has right
to the physical education her brother
gets, the free, rough-and-tumble, the
strenuous games which healthy young
animals love. To this end she should
be dressed like child-not like a min
iature, imitation woman
II the girl child had this training un-
1nterruptedly she would not go to
pieces SO often when the college gym
nasium at last opens to her. The child
has a right to the same knowledge OF
general social activity that is freely
given the boy; to see and know and ex-
perience as far as possible. how things
are done.
She has a right to the same general
information necessary to citizenship
and this she does get, in our public
schools.
Whatever is given the boy to devel-
op body and brain and character.
should be equally open TO the girl, in
GLIDING freedom of choice in life
work.
But then rises the everlasting dis
is first, last, and always
to be a mother-has the girl no right
to special education for this great
work?
Has society no right, no imperative
and pre-eminent right. to demand a
wiser and more effective motherhood.
and to train its women citizens to
this end? Both the girl, for her life's
happiness. and society, for its best
service. have this right, and it should
be fully granted.-New York Times.
Soldiers Superstitions.
Among the numerous slnarStiti0ns