El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-05-13
Is Unfair To Women
Girls Should Have "Eauain Not
"Higher'' Educational Advnn-
tnges, Marrying Well Not
The Sole Purpose.
BY MADIsOf: c. PETERS.

T I is as unfair as it is foolish TO raise
the question of mans superiority or
woman's inferiority, since in their
way each is both inferior or superior,
the inferiority being TO cause for
shame, nor the superiority cause OF
glorying. Each" as Ruskin puts it,
is what the other is not, each COM
pletes the other and is completed by the
other and the happiness and perfection
Of both depend on each asking and re-
ceiving Of the other what the other
can give"
The higher education OF women sug-
gests a question: Higher than whose?
Higher than what? Is there not a bet
ter word than higher? Equal educa-
ton. Educate your daughter as well as
your son, which does not mean educat-
ing a daughter on the boys line. but
| that sons and daughters must be edu-
Gated each equally and practically well.
/ The same education they cannot have,
I unless there is one and the same future
for each. You must recognize the dis
tinctive traits of each sex and their re-
spective spheres of action.
Education proceeds rather from with
in than without. 1t means the developp-
ment of powers already in the child
to evolve. develop, educe intelligence,
10 fit personal. moral agent to do his
or her duty i'm that state of life to
which he or she may be called.
Why should a woman be taught that
the uses Of education are attained. that
| she has finished her education, if she
appears well in society and avoids those
mistakes which betray ignorance? We
say TO the young man: Read, learn,
think, make the best of yourself Edu-
cate yourself by all the means within
your reach. Get ready for your job"
Why Not True of WOmnnf
But why is not this true of woman as
/ or MANI Women as a rule think OF
I education as a schooling that has 10
( be endured until the age Of Is or IS
the object of which is to make a fine
appearance in society. and give them a
good chance Of success in marrying a
/ rich man. Until a higher mission
/ awaits the schoolgirl than that of be-
| ing taken from the school room &c the
/ social auction block and placed on eX-
hibition i'm the marriage mart where
I snowy accomplishments bring the
highest bidder, no better education is
possible than that which meets the
flippant demands OF the finified fool
, cries Of fashion.
/ Why not say to the girl: Make a
woman Of yourself. Instead we teach
| her to be 'lady-like" and thus reduce
{ education to appearance, and so having
I made education secondary to manners
! the dancing master has become more
| indispensable than any other teacher
The mplishment OF the feet and
I fingers are more highly priced than
! those OF the head and heart, and Wher
( the great purpose OF education has
| been secured, in a successful match
/ the further Improvement Of the mind
] is accounted unnecessary.
Is the Basic Error.
Just so long as the chief end Of
: woman is to be married, and the OBJ
( ject OF education to secure a rich hus-
band, the education needed to make
her a woman. 10 teach self-respect
I self-reliance and what Robert Burns
was pleased to call. "the glorious priv
! lege OF being independent" will be
! neglected. This is the basic error by
/ which woman is prevented from taking
1 her rightful position in society and
= from exerting her full influence.
! All true reforms must begin by edu-
/ eating woman to a higher sense oil
! what is due TO herself and through her
! to the world. I would have woman cul-
! tivate everything that can add grace
/ and elegance but 1 would so train her
/ as to make her mans help-meet. not
| simply his help-eat, his doll to be
! dressed, his top to be played with. OF
! his baby to be kept from crying with
! a sugar-plum. Woman was made for
/ a higher purpose, a nObler use, a
| grander destiny than fashionable lit
| tleness. elegant trifles and facinating
/ airs Her powers are rich and strong
her genius bold and daring. She may
walk the fields OF thought achieve the
] victories OF mind, and make herself
felt as mans cO-worker. and equal in
/ whatever exalts mind embellishes life
/ and sanctifies humanity.