The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-11-15
EVENING CHIT
By RUTH CAMERON

How long. I wonder. viii we go on pEse e,
pairing our daughters. whom we 1870 80
hope will be happy wives, Aof ever ei''"9
Here is a genuine human document on
that branch of folly when mas Jual c -,
to me. Please read il. all you mos -.
who are doing likewise Read ana IT,
fleet:
My Dear Miss Cameron:
Il believe at one time you said YOU
wished suggestions May ouer one
Ny suggestion is to urge mothers 10 pre-
teaching them carefully the details "a
housework and of managing noun noun,
Many and many young wire knows
from bitter experience what the lack Oh
this knowledge means.
mother said las doubtless many nothefs
say, You viii have maid, even as 4.
Why should you bother2 But alas! my
husband can not afford a maid, ana ~ ia
absolutely necessary that know how 10
manage nome ana care Tor my t"o ~
tie children-one baby Of seven Weeka-
I wonder how many daughters would be
willing to fill that position with their
My lessons in music and painting. rs
well as my learning gained from being
sent away to school, does not materially
aid me now / have been married nearly
capable wife and mother. but the way
has been. oh. so difficult, and many Bit
ter tears have been shed.
The first washings I did made my soft.
tender hands-unused to hard work
bleed Today / have washed and hung
out clothes. cooked meals, cared for the
children ana made grape leilys as IN VIII
ter one appreciates those things. / speak
of what 1 have done merely 70 show that
my former training does not stand me In
The girl that wrote that letter is a
type. Thousands like her are marrying
every year. and, as in her case, many Dit
ter tears are shed before they have mas
tered the duties Of their positions.
To be sure, they do master them in the
long run but as another girl, who had
never been taught homework, because
| her mother had a maid and thought there
1 M n
ton. 'HouseWork doesn't come natural
as it would. If I had done it a child.
way"
Now. of course, you realize I am not
! speaking against a college education,
training In music and the arts Tor girls
I am the last one in the world TO do that.
think it Is all nonsense to say that
college education units girl TO be a
good wife and mother. I think any edu
cation makes a woman a better mother
and wife. in that it makes her q happier.
| broader woman.
But ! think the broad. cultural education
| for her life as "A woman should go hand
ing for her life as a wife.
If you want your son to be civil en-
! gineer you give him all the general Gull
ture you can AFFORD, and in addition 70
| that, specific Industrial training for
Now, you want-and hence expect-your
daughter to be a wife, don't yOu2 You
would be disappointed II you could look
| into the future and see that she would
| never find her mate. Why, then.
shouldn't you give her an the general
| culture you can afford. and at the same
/ time n specific Industrial training for her
probable vocation
/ The man who-thinks has two daugn-
/ ters one went to a musical school and
another to college. After she had fin-
/ ished her outside education. each girl
spent one year in running the house and
! learning every branch of housekeeping
! and homemaking. Think what splendid
] wives they Will make.
| OF course, Il isn't always possible %
/ carry out a daughters education on sucn
an ideal scale. But there IS no doubt but
! that in every household each daughter
could be taught the simpler things about
the science as she grows up. and FANCY
there are few homes where il Is not
financially possible for the daughter 70
have a year to devote to this kind or
learning, after she finishes whatever
schooling her father can afford her-be Do
grammar. high school or college.
wouldn't II be interesting If a law could
be passed requiring a year of such SER
/ vice-just as the German lad has his term
in military service-before "a girl was al
I rather fancy it would affect the a.
vorce rate somewhat.