The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-06-02
What Shall Do With MY Daughter?
(By Rose Weston BULLY

IHe queStioH WHuJ snail j DO With
my son" has. through all the ages,
presented a most important parental
problem. With the increasing inva-
sion by women of fields monopolized
by the now less dominant sex the
question What shall 1 do with nv
daughter" has become fully as i'm
portant as the earlier query. 1t is to
some extent an academic question.
Your daughter will have a large part
In answering it, if indeed, she is not
the chief factor in framing the decis-
ion.
In this series of articles / will at
tempt to help parents of daughters
and the daughters themselves answer
this all-important question. I can
not attempt to help you find employ
ment. l cannot give advice as to par
ticular business concerns. can,
however, answer questions as to GER
tain lines of work in general sQues-
tions addressed to me in care Of this
newspaper will be answered in con-
nection with these articles or by let
ter
In chOsing nursing" and it's va
rious phases as the subject for the
first few articles in the series | have
been actuated by two motives: First:
it Is the profession in which woman
is practically without competition.
Second: it is about the most rfisun.
lerstOod and underestimated of all the
professions open to women.
r. w. p.
1. Nursing.
Those who know the nursing field,
and who are trying to fill the ever in
creasing demand for graduate nurses
which pours in from all parts of the
country, say there is dearth of capa-
ole, we'll instructed women. Institu-
tons are looking for superintendents
and supervisors; physicians are seek
ing competent nurses. graduates of
schools of nursing of high standard to
care for their private patients;l the de-
mand for social service nurses was
never greater. Municipalities are re-
alizing the value of the nurse, as a
member of the staff of health work
ers. School nursing is Offering in
creasing opportunities. The great in
surance companies and industrial cor
porations are making health con-
servation a part of their business pro-
81 ans, and are demanding nurses for
tins branch Of their work.
With all these constantly widening
opportunities women are slow to take
advantage of them. and to fit them
selves for this one field in which they
do not come into competition with
men, and in which their latent talents
and characteristics would make them
the admitted superior of men, even
II such competition were to be es-
tablished.
What IL War Comes?
If America cannot supply her need
of graduate nurses during normal
peace times how is she going to an
swer the pressing and insistent call
for efficient hospital workers If the
war clouds which now hang over
her head break into q storm? The
high school graduate, or the young
woman who has finished her college
education, and is scanning the voca-
tional horizon with q view to select
! ing career, should not make her
choice before she has examined the
fields Of endeavOr that nursing holds
out to her. Naturally the war thought
Is uppermOst in all minds at present
and the desire to be Of service to the
country and to humanity prevails
above all other desires. But the young
woman who takes up nursing as a
PROFESSION Is equipping herself to
serve her country and humanity In
times Of peace as we'll as of strife, and
she is fitting herself for an occupa-
tion that is practically unlimited in
it's scope and it's opportunity for ad-
vancement as we'll as for service.
More Than Bedside Care.
The idea that nursing is confined to
the bedside, and that the graduate
nurses chief occupation is to take her
patients temperature and fill out a
chart is, needless to say. an antiquat
ed one. In place of this picture of
limited activities and circumscribed
usefulness we have today a picture
of the graduate nurse filling import
ant positions i'm city, State and nat