El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-01-18

! ~ ENTON, TEX, Jan. 1S.-There is
in this town an educational
- outfit which is destined to be
/ come famous. It's pupils are young
women exclusively, numbering about
400, and recently it has come to be
known as the Matrimonial College, for
the reason that it makes a speciality Of
teaching what might be called the art
Of marriage.
Recognizing the fact that marriage
is Woman's principal profession, one
department of the college is devoted
TO the preparation of girls for wife
hood. They enter at IS TO is years Of
age, and are instructed IN housekeep-
ing, IN physiology particularly that
of Women), ard in the business of
picking out a husband. They are
taught that they must not marry 4
man unless he can produce a clean bill
Of health IN the shape of a physicians
certificate guaranteeing him 10 be
sound in body.
The girls are taught that a pros
pective husband is to be regarded not
merely as a mate, but as an ancestor
of generations yet to be. It follows
that no man who is not fit to be an
ancestor is fit to be a husband. I
am ready to be yours, Jack" SAYS the
young woman at the final moment of
courtshlp- Only one preliminary is
necessary Get a certificate from DR..
SO-and-sO, stating that you are per
fectly sound physically and We'll make
the wedding day as soon as you like"
It IS ~ TO the young man to make
good. He can have no reasonable oh
lection to such a stipulation. If he
cannot furnish the certificate. he had
better step. back and give some other
fellow a chance. Funny idea2 Not
a bit OF it 1t seems odd only because it is !
novel. Probably very few of those
who will read this letter in print are
aware of the fact that there ex-
lists at the present time an associa-
ton of graduates of girls colleges
which requires from every one of ms
members pledge that she will under
no circumstances marry a man who
cannot furnish just such a certificate
as is here described.
But to go back to the Matrimonial
college at Denton. The department in
question has existed for only a verv
few years. Up to last October %
children had been born to srad,1ates
Of it. According to general TnorfaIitv
averages, four of these would now he
dead. As a inter Of fact, however an
OF them are living. The reason. seems
to be that the mothers were taught !
how to take care Of themselves. their
homes, and their babies.
Teaches Duties of Motherhood.
Woman's most important work Is the /
bringing of babies into the world 1T I
is necessary that those babies sbaJ1 /
be sound and healthy if they are 10 !
grow up into happy ana useful citizens I
Most girls, unfortunately. enter mo
the estate of marriage without anv (
knowledge whatever of the business !
Of mOtherhood-which fact accounts
for large percentage of infant deaths /
What the Matrimonial COLLEGE tries 10
do is to teach this business. 1t is
here that the study of physiology
comes in; and, to cite one little poinf
it is explained to the pupils that one
out OF every four blind persons now
living owes his or her afflictiOn to /
the fact that simple measures were
not adopted Through ignorance) bv /
the mother for dealing with an in |
fictitious eye trouble which is always ,
liable to attack newborn child
A strong man is as likely as not to !
marry a weakly woman. Her very |
weakness appeals to his strength. But !
L is otherwise with the opposite sex.
Every woman wants a sturdy man for
/ husband, and the sort of instruction
given at this educational establishment /