Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-08-05
OLD-FASHIONED WIVES
NOT GOOD EXAMPLES
FOR MODERN WOMAN
Domestic Relations Court
Probation officer De-
clares Mans Life Partner
Must Keep Pace With
Him in All Things.

oid-fashIonsd wives, the kind tina
mother and grandmother used 10 be, are
certainly out OF date these days. No mat
/ ter how much We may cherish the mem.
ory OF those dear, sweet SOULS no matter
how much we may revere their kindly
loving eyes and silvered nair, II Is self
evident that the happy wife In these mod
ern days is the one that keeps pace with
her husband both socially and lntellectu-
ally, and not the woman that devotes her
whole life to rearing her children.
The foregoing is the opinion OF several
prominent Phlladelphans who have made
close study OF marital conditions either
through the courts or by social service
work.
! 1t ls not meant to imply that the woman
| that devotes her health and youth to
| rearing a large family may not find her
share OF happiness In this world Moth
| erhood In itself is almost a sacred in
stltution But, on the other hand, the
mother that devotes all her time to her
children and very little to her husband is
not laying the foundations for a happy
and enjoyable home.
In speaking OF old-fashioned wives, Mrs
Jane Deeter Rippln, chief probation Of
flcer OF the Domestic Relations Court,
said:
"Double-harness Is about as good a word
as any to use. The wife should keep pace
Win ntT nuSDhnut DOLn SOCIALLY ana III
tellectually. Old-fashoned wives are GER
talnly out of date. Although there Is, of
course, no rule which could 1T ali cases, |
think that for the majority the double |
harness rule will apply.
FOX TRoT WITH HIM.
"The wife these days should cultivate
her mind. She should, above ALL be
companion. II the husband wants to
dance and go to theatre parties 1 think
she should do the same. His pleasures
should be hers. II he likes to fox trot and
tango she should follow suit"
Mrs. Rippin's attention had been di-
rected to divorce case filed recently in
the New York Supreme Court. Mrs. Mar
garet Coyne, who had been married 81
years and was the mother Of II children,
had applied for a divorce and complained
that her husband told her she was "old-
fashioned and out of date" and that she
had not progressed 80 rapidly socially as
he. Mrs. Coyne told the court "he treated
me more rs servant than a wife"
Mrs. Rippin would make no comment
on the Coyne case, other than to say it
was unfortunate.
Speaking generally" she said, "a
mother should not give all her time to
Ter children, and In so doing neglect the
That is the old-fashioned kind
If wife, is 1t not? Women undoubtedly
iave changed. What is a modern
yoman7 That is hard to answer, but 1t
8 self-evldent that the up-to-date man
eeks and wants an up-to-date woman
or a WIFE l
THE old-fashioned wife was more a G
ervant, at least certainly more SO than '
he modern wife. Formerly the husband c
aid the bills and ruled the household. Q
n these days the wife certainly has more
nd more to say. n
Another question to be considered is n
hat of dress, Many women, the old
kind, formerly let themselves C
o after marriage. Certainly no man h
kes a shabby woman, and ALL I think, a
dmire neatness in a woman. Further a
iore there is absolutely no excuse for IL
'Oman to be untidy. a
81 don't think a man, a sensible man, p
kes the kind of woman who publishes In
er appearance ON the street with loud
nd hashy clothes. There Is no need of b,
Stravagance in dress. That, of course. W
a matter that depends on the family Ii
come. But neatness is surely essential II
There is also the danger OF a woman cf
eing too modern. Dancing and amuse- es
ents are ali right in their place, but bc