The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1913-09-18
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DO MOTHERS KNOW THEIR
DAUGHTERS?
. Paper read by Mrs. F. l.. House.
!. holder before the Mothers Club (
. of Minot. {
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If every mother who listens would
face this question honestly: "What
Do Think Of My Own Daughters
Manners p and follow it by another:
"Is the Girl Know the One Her
not only ask these questions but obtain
an honest answer, there would be
many a heartache saved in the years
to come! For ] contend that the av-
erage American girl in her teens to-
day is girl her own mother is to
blame for, and one of whom she would
be deeply ashamed did she know what
her daughter often does and is.
The average girl between fourteen
and seventeen years Of age as you find
her in America is a different girl from
the one her mother knows. And why :?
We, as American mothers, have
consciously or unconsciously, God
knows-taken the stand that, because
our daughters are American girls, the
laws of parent and chaperon guidance
which safeguard the girls of other ma
tions are not necessary. Our daugh-
tiers may be "free and easy" with men
and boys-that is but their high spir-
its since as they are American girls
it could be nothing more.
Their lack of discretion, their COM
mon habit Of dropping into the bust
ness places of their men friends on
various pretexts, the equally common
habit of writing to and meeting any
actor who will give them the oppor-
tunity, their free use of the telephone
in calling up Tom, Dick or Harry
all of that is but typical Of the times,
you know. No harm in that!
No harm to be the ones to get up
dances and theatre parties, and then
ask men to be their escorts. No harm
constantly to offer carriage and auto
rides to their men and boy friends.
Merely an American girl trait, an ex-
ample of her freedom from the petty
laws that hedge in the girls of other
lands. No harm?
The tendency of our social life and
of the day is toward the breaking
down Of the barriers of reserve that
restricted our grandmothers. And
the daughters of today do and say
things questionable things - that
none of our ancestors would have con-
sidered compatible with common de-
cency! If you do not believe this
look about you. There is plenty of
proof! And for this the American
mother is to blame.
In certain high school a teacher
picked up two notes, one written on
the back of the other. The first had
been written by girl of thirteen. Her
father was prominent citizen. Her
l IS
principles( but she closed her eyes
blindly to any possible fault in her
children. When her elder daughter
was expelled from school, the father
brought about her reinstatement and
the teachers dismissal. This younger
girl was wilder than her sister, but
the teacher was unprepared to find
even in her the depravity that this
note revealed. 1t was filled with the
vilest expressions. The boy of fifteen
had replied in kind, and mentioned
similar letters he was sending to other
girls, showing that many were con.
cerned in this indecency. This is nc
uncommon occurrence, and mothers
would be Mortified did they know OF
the subjects that are talked of be.
tween their daughters and their boy
acquaintance. The teacher tore ur
this note and said nothing, knowing il
useless to show this mother even such
proof as her daughters own writing
The girl became one of the worst in
town, and at fifteen had to be sent
away to school because Of her reputa-
ton! Had that mother not been 50
foolishly blind, what might she not
have done to help her daughter!
| In one of our large cities, girl OF
sixteen was out every night with a
crowd of boys and girls. Where did
they go? Did the mother of this girl
know? When complaints of this
merry crowd" reached an aunt of the
girl, she went to the mother with these
same questions. She did not know
but: "Alice is old enough to take
care of herself anyway. Let her GO
while she's young" When the aunt
told of the complaints the mother be-
came very indignant at her for dar-
ing to repeat such things. Later, a
Ipark policeman reported to the father
the indecent actions on the part of his
child in the park. Again the mother
would not even question her daughter
nor did she curtail the nightly liberty
at all. It was not until this sixteen
year-old child eloped with boy Of
eighteen that she was brought to her
senses, and then her only cry was:
"Oh, how could she deceive me so?'
It was not the mother who was de-
ceived. It was the girl-betrayed by
a mothers love that offered no protec-
ton nor safeguard to the girlish ma
ture! On whose head, think you,
should rest the blame?
It is not necessary, however, for
you to look for such extremes in your
daughter. Look at her everyday
speech and manners. Has she grown
into the loose, slangy way Of talking
that is common among the average
young people to-day?
In q small town, bi-monthly dances
are given in the Opera House. These
dances are the social events Of the
winter, the mothers and fathers at
tending as well as the sons and daugh-
tiers. It was at one of these really ex-
elusive Affairs that a xonns, man :. Lid