Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-11-23

mated, and what is more important. time
for more interesting things saved
Mrs La Toilette is the editress OF the
womans department of her husbands
magazine She says that when she be-
gan work, she was told to adhere to the
general lines upon which such articles
were always run, Il she wanted success.
But she thought that material of that
sort was not, in many cases. what the
women really wanted. but what the man
editors thought they wanted. so she de-
cided to give her readers more than mere
recipes and fashion hints.
She endeavored to acquaint them with
the abstract principles underlying their
work and interests. Articles along lines
or new discoveries in nutrition or what
was being done to increase domestic
efficiency, We're the sort she favored She
was among the first of the publications
10 blaze the way for the fly campaign.
Her pages were different II Is true
that she gave some recipes and hints
but principles that would make for more
Intelligent housekeeping. motherhood and
"omanhood took precedence. This move
lnent was one expression OF her desire to
free from the old darkening conventions
by the new light Of potent knowledge
When woman sets forth ideas of
this sort il is natural that one should
ask, rs she consistent-.s her life refiec-
tive OF these feelngs-is she a platitudi-
marian without practical backgrounds
One could never discredit Mrs. La Fol-
lette In this manner. Her life Is, indeed
application OF her ideas.
Graduating from co-educational
school. she broke away early from the
stereotyped conceptions of proper edu-
cation for young ladies and went TO the
university, TO march shoulder TO shoulder
as il We're. with the men of the state
and she succeeded in keeping abreast OF
them, which was more complete con-
quest for her since IL was q proof of the
strength OF her mental caliber.
When she married she began to study
law SO as To fiji herself for intelligent
lette in the evenings. Then her children
came and swerved her attention from the
law, to which. by the way, she never
again returned as diligently. because of
her husbands entrance into politics.
The children were growing I'D and
she was confronted with the problem of
their education. Her instructive love OF
freedom rebelled against sending them
to school, TO be shut in for hours at a
time and restrained. So she decided to
keep them at home and wait until they
were ola enough TO nave developed
strong bodies before sending them to
high school.
1T is against the laws Of nature
Mrs. La Toilette asserted. TO keep lit
tie children closely confined indoors
when they should be out in the air run
ming. jumping. playing and building up
q reserve of physical strength The real
center of their mental development
should be the home. They will gain and
not lose IL they are kept there or
course. / am not critcsing the entire
public school system. for 1t is indeed
strong. But. at the same time, new
ideas must creep in if our schools are to
be totally efficient.
when women awaken to an intelligent
understanding of affairs and carry the
great questions of the world right into
their family circles and discuss with
their husbands what IS vitality affecting.
then will the children gradually learn