The Washington herald., 1917-08-27

There's no mother to pick up after
her when she strews her clothes about
the floor. or to darn her stockings, or
think for her. She must do these
things for herself or take the conse-
quences. and boarding school is most
useful in this. that II gives TO Maude
the discipline that her mother was too
weak and tender to give her.
And II corrects Maud's manners with
ruthless disregard of her feelings.
Mother may have told Maude a million
times about spottipg the table cloth,
and holding her fork as IL II were q
pick axe, or eating soup audibly. and
Maude paid no attention to It. but one
giggle Of derision from the other girls
at her table cures Maude ehectually
OF her little awkwardness.
The chief argument. however, IN
favor of sending Maude of to a board
ing school is that 1t bridges over
peaceably and amiably the hobblede-
hoy stage OF girls life when she
and her family are at dagger's points
over the question of beaux and parties
and the amount of liberty and privi-
leges that she shall enjoy. Maude
thinks she's grown up. Maude's pa
rents think she is still little girl and
in consequence of these divergent
opinions they are eterna1y on each
others nerves.
Let Maude have,a year or two away
from home and by the time she ges
back her parents have reconciled
themselves to the fact that their child
has followed the universal human
custom of growing up. and they are
ready to meet her on that plane and
be friends and companions with her.
But in sending Maude OF to board
ig school ] would urge parents above
all else TO pick out one that Is in ac-
cordance with their means and where
their daughter will be thrown with
girls who are in her own social status.
Nothing else Is so demoralizing as for
a young girl, at the most impression
able time of her life, TO be associated
with girls who are far richer than she
is and who move in circles 10 which
she may not hope to penetrate.
They fill her mind with false ideals.
They give her false standards Of liy-
ing and teach her extrsvagant habits
and tastes that will be the ruin of her
father and the man she marries, and
make her miserable with unsatisfied
desires to the end OF her life.
So much for the advantages OF the
boarding school IL the family is we'll
to-do. II the family is poor keep the
girl at home There is nothing else on
earth so pathetic as the useless and
futile sacrifices parents make to give
their children what they fondly think
are educational advantages and which
the children are either too lazy or too
stupid to take.
Mother wears her old clothes and
slaves over the cookstove to send
Maude of to a finishing school whose
only effect Is to finish up what little
sense Maude had to start with and
leave her dissatisfied with her home
and ashamed OF her shabby old moth
er. Father works overtime. and short
ems his days, shaving for the money to
send John of TO college, and all that
John comes home with Is a college
yell and blighting contempt for the
grocery trade.
In considering whether they shall
send their children of to school or
not, let parents ponder well the fact
that all education is not to be deriv-
ed from books. About the best brand
OF II comes put up in the packages OF
daily experience and children can get
that Just as well at home as else
where. It's nice ~ they can send
Aaude and John of to school without
sacrificing the balance Of the family.
So is it nice TO keep an automobile.
But it's a frill and not a necessity,
and a boys or girls real happiness
and success do not depend upon Il.
Copyright, 1917, BY the Wheeler Syndicate. inc.)