The Cairo bulletin., 1912-09-25
ON THE OTHER HAND.
By F. J. Spaulding.

mothers who allow their girls to run
1.-THE street at any and all times and
take no thought or observance OF
them or of the companions they
ISeleet.
| And on the other hand we have
the mother who is SO strict with her
girls that they never have the least
opportunity TO use their own jude
ment. They are hedged about and
protected and sheltered so thorough
| ly and persistently that the mother
gets into the habit of deciding every
! thing for them She keeps 1t up long
after the child is grown into young
womanhood. and she forms the idea
that her child is incapable OF a
sensible solution or a rational ludg-
iment on any question of Importance.
lShe treats her grown daughter as
Though she were baby. she lm~
poses upon he" all her whims ana
tfaneies. She intrudes her judgment
Everywhere and thinks ii stranS that
her girl should ever have ideas not
in conformity TO her own, she
worries when the girl is away from
her sight for an hour and scolds her
| when she returns.
If the girl be unusually steady
and sensible and patient and sweet
tempered she will probably submit to
| this treatment and may even retain
some considerable vestige of her in-
dividuality But about ninety-five
girls out of one hundred are not en-
dowed with all four of these traits
in degree of prominence at all re-
markable Most girls are just
healthy, normal. average girls, who
will surely be called upon some time
to make THEM own decisions and look
| out for their own happiness and
safety
II is foolish to bring these girls to
womanhood without giving them a
chance to use their own Judgment or
train themselves for the supreme
tests that are surely coming TO them
after while.
1t is dangerous to the very safety
of the child to rob her of the right
to her own individuality. Teach her
to decide for herself Teach her to
depend on, herself. Train her to do
things for herself Let her decide
a question now and then, and If she
decides wrongly, use the result as a
lesson for future improvement. Then
when she has reached womanhood
she will be better able to decide the
questions and perplexities and
strains that are bound to come to
her.
Is it not fact that the most vital
and supreme tests on the girl are
bound to occur ut the very moment
when the mother is not near to ex-
ercise her sheitering influence? No
thinking mother will attempt for
moment to deny that his is true
But there are thousands Of mothers
who never act upon 1t as basis.
And why not? To attempt TO
puilu ui alOtuel bdsIS THAN Il TRUE
one is to invite disaster. 1t is only
done In a spirit of prudency and
talsity that is damning to the safety
| Of the girl. If she he coddled and
restrained and sheltered and petted
she will be in no condition to cope
with the inevitable crisis when IT
does come
Next to absolutely ignoring the
child and allowing her to come and
go without question or observation
Of any kind is 10 be deplored this I'M
wise total restraint OF her every in
stinct of self government.
a woman may boast that she has
raised her girl into fine, sweet
pure woman. This IL indeed very
commendable accomplishment and
may well SPEAK of it with pride
But what about that girls future?
Is she equipped for the inevitable
contac: with the sordid world which
must be met single handed? What
Is the use of building fine struc-
ture if it must topple at the momen
Of completion?
Some time ago a woman spoke in
lofty, superior haughtiness to a
Young man who had fallen in love
with her daughter and was trying il
the most manly and gen tlemanl,
way he knew how to win permission
to marry his sweetheart. The wo-
man ntruded her sheltering, pro
tecting, but uncalled for and un-
necessary (the girl was twenty-nine)
Interference until the young man
was so thoroughly Inundated and
wounded that he drew back in dis,
gust and came within an inch OF
suicide.
! Look we'll into the affairs OF
your household" and observe anc
teach and instruct and protect your
girls. But for the sake Of her future
happiness do not intrude yourseli
upon her so heavily that you spoi,
her chance of ever making a wise
ch3ice of her own volition, ant
. maybe wreck her chance of ever be.
coming usefll and happy woman