The log cabin Democrat., 1911-04-27
"What the Country Girl Should Get in the High Schoop' By Mrs: yo Erauentha! Education the South Jackson
 vile, Florida April 21,

| been pald me Tn g1VlnS Hle d pldCe ol your program. I appreciate the great privilege it is to be with those who are doing such great things for edu- cation in the south-men and women who are devoting their lives to the betterment of humanity. The subject assigned me, What the Country Girl Should Get in the High School" is a wide one, a req Hive wire Tn educa- ton work, and l cannot but touch lightly upon some of the points which seem to me most important.
 In this advanced age of telephones, daily mail delivery and motor cars, there no longer exists the sharp dlf- ferences between town and country life which existed few years ago; both are rapidly being fused into one The ranks of the workers in towns and cities are daily being recruited from the rural districts so that II seems to me the same or about the same training would apply to both. Where no high schools exist Tn the country districts the boys and girls flock to nearby towns to profit by the greater educational advantages there offered through schools and colleges. For in many states the rural schools rarely go higher than the fifth grace though they are supposed to reach the seventh and eighth. The high schooi should be training school for the business of living. It should offer such studies as will enable it's pupils to find their bearings easily in any quarter of the world. It should in definite way prepare them for any vo- cation in life they may choose-the boy for a professional or commercial life. and the girl for such occupation as she may desire in the interim be- tween the time of her leaving school to the time she marries-for many must earn their own living and often provide for those who may be depend ent upon them. Does the training our girls receive fit them for these stern realities?
 | Up to the present time they have been receiving the same training as boys, no specializing being thought necessary. Mathematics used to be deemed the very backbone of all men tai development, and in this 90 per cent of the girls failed miserably for the complex brain of woman was nev- CT attuned to figures, but she can be and should be taught the English language, so that she can express her self clearly and logically and read ur- derstandingly. International work is most essential. To be intelligently in- formed upon all live subjects and to be able to express her ideas clearly and logically is much needed branch of her education. She should be train ed to think and not parrot-like repeat what others may have said. Under international work would come geog- raphy, history and current events. This last is too often omitted from a school curriculum.
 | Nearly all of us have been given some special talent, that is, one thing in which we may excel if prop erly developed. It should be the ob- ject of the high school to find this tal- ent, build solid foundation for it then bring it to it's highest state of perfection. I do not believe that too early specializing is a good thing. A firm foundation equal in all it's parts should first be laid then the specializ- ing may begin. Of course there are exceptions as in the case of the pupil who is a genius along some particular line, but we have to deal with the av- craze girl and not the genius. Few girls become doctors, lawyers, clergy men or writers-though this last pro- | fesSion numbers more women in it's ranks than either of the others men, toned, but anyone of these require years of special training. Music and drawing may lead them toward the arts in which many women are earn ing a splendid livelihood, especially in the art of designing do they excel Then there are the arts and crafts handwork in textiles which will direct them toward the mechanical indus. tries. If girls were better trained ir these occupations many would rise tC positions of trust and receive core spondingly increased salaries. Iher again for the wage-earner we may speak of a commercial or a bushes; course. Many girls prefer work o1 this kind to the close confinement o1 the school room or manufactOry. But many also think it short cut to aTf1u ence which is a great mistake, for ir
 
 this branch they must receive a spe' cial training. In the St. Louis high school commercial course the pupil must study English, foreign languages science, drawing and mathematics anC many lawyers require their stenog raphers to have working knowledge of law.
 The Chicago business course in cludes salesmanship, advertising banking finance, office methods and in surance I mention all these in con nection with the country girl, for city offices are filled with girls from tho surrounding country and she must bt trained worker or she is A failure Many girls leaving the eighth grade would like to take business course but have not the means to go to { city. nav board and remain idle while