Perth Amboy evening news., 1912-05-03
N4EAPT NND
HOME talks
~ RB ~ PA a OTD


las been argued by those who are opposed to the advancement of
| l women-though perhaps they do not phrase it ute 81 literally
| | that a woman's proper place is within the walls OF her home. This
~ las been the cry for many a cara womans activities should
be bounded by the four walls Of her domkue.
But today, where are the walls of the home? How far do they
extend? What do they encompass2
Many Of these conservatives who "a that woman should always remain
home do lot stand whore nc they stood, and that today, a woman may
within the shehertng walls of the homo and yet have a far wider
domain Mn which to range. than formerly.
Formerly, nearly all the food of the family q supplied from within
ne four walls of the home. and wRs prepared under the we of the careful
homemstress. The W were the property of the family, they yer
MIXED by members OF the family, the milk vas cared for by the mistress
and her maids, the butter and cheese were of their making.
Ham and bacon were cured in the family smokehouse. the barrels of
salt pork in the cellar were Of the family making, - the sausage and
pies in the pantry. the bread in the bread-box In former days, the walls of
the home enclosed all these activities. But today, II the walls of the home
to encompass these things, the walls must be extended to admit of
woman's upervfsfo OF actores, to give Ter a voice In tn regulation of
the milk supply of a city. She must today take part In municipal house
keeping, if she is to be sure that the milk and meat and bread and butter
o n the family table are pure n nourshing. And she is n ofess a woman
if home walls do not stand for the actual building, but for what a home
really means. In this age of expansion, the walls have moved and the
home is bigger, that is all.
Formerly a chnds education vas largely a home matter. His A B Cs
we're learned at his mothers knee. Frequently she instructed him In read
governess in the house. Even when the children vent to school, tho dis
trct school ws a small affair. and the teacher usually boarded around In
the families OF her pupils. Education was lot tai removed from the
mothers influence.
But today, the schools are in politics. as everybody knows; at any
rate, they ire quite q distance from our old-tms notion OF the walls OF
the home. If the mother wants to have a voice In the public education
of her children, she needs o help elect school-direcors, possibly be a
director herself. SO here's again, have the walls of the home moved out
ward and enclosed larger spaces than formerly
In many other avs has this extension zone on. Whoever heard In
days gone by of Juvenile courts and public Fairgrounds and such move
ments that are a part of the vital life of today. Changing conditions make
them necessary and these changing conditions make 1T Just as necessary
that woman have a part in tn management Of these movements, IL she
is still to look after the interests of the home. The walls OF the home have
simply been moved to enclose larger areas. These activities RI all home
activities. Only, We are commencing to see that the word home" is
defined In a larger than 1t used to be. We re beginning to learn
that humanity is n big family And that for the best welfare of that
family, women must help in all that concerns It,