The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1918-12-24
WOMEN AND
EDUCATION

| SLruCloQ WOrlQ. is peace TO call
more women out of the homes? Are
they to remain permanently by the
tens Of thousands in the various in
dustries into which the war and the
changing condition of the times have
called them?
In the January Pictorial Review
are two articles which should be
widely read. In one of these, by
mabel Potter Daggert, the coming of
women into the wider sphere of in
dustrial life Is hailed with delight
and presages a future, ''big with
great events The other article,
which is the fourth of the series, by
Helen Ring Robinson, pleads rather
for women in the home, as against
women in the life of industry.
1.-THE first duty of women says
Miss Robinson, I'm this new con-
structive state of the woman move
ment, is to make the distinctive work
of women in the home more stable
and dignified."
without entering into this discus.
sion in a positive way 1t seems that
conditions of civilization clearly in
dictate that the position of women
will in the not distant future be far
higher and more important than any
that she has claimed in the past
Throuout the civilized world she will
be conceded full political and social
rights on an equality with man. She
will be placed in position Of re-
sponsibility and power which will
render her mans co-partner and free
her from the injustice and wrong
which generations have inflicted
upon her.
A change is coming over the face
of the earth There is a tremendous
expansion of modern ideas and
modern life in every. direction. 1t
is folly to expect that women will
not be touched or Influenced by the
forces that are at work in the
wodern world. Were it desirable, it
is impossible to keep her from car
ing, thinking, feeling, questioning
and desiring to have an active part
in this larger and altered life of
man. Women are today claiming
the right to take part in govern.
mental affairs, to do it openly, freely,
to be recognized as powers, influ-
ences, and not merely to stand in
the shadow as they have done in the
past. Women's effort to secure the
franchise is perhaps but the surface
indication of great biologie move
ment-one that women themselves
do not fully understand "any more
than the chick struggling out of its
shell understands thatsit is the pro-
cess of being born" I believe that
the present feminist agitation will
bring a favorable change in human
destiny.
Let us consider for a moment the
part that the typical, normal man,
and the art that the average, normal
woman, has layed in the evolution
of human life.
Man has been the fighter, the red
handed glutton, ugnacious, easily
stirred to deeds of violence. He has
had to fight for standing ground, for
the best watering holes and the best
pasturage for his fiocks, for place
to make home. He has had to
fight with the wild conditions of ma
ture-level the forests, ford the
streams, brave the storms. All the
conditions of the earth that were ap-
parently antagonistic to his peace
and his life he mas had to conquer
and make them do his bidding. Be-
yond this, he has had to fight other
men-fight for his home, fore his
religion, for any higher degree of
civilization which he has attained.
Verify the steps of mans progress
are marked in blood and struggle.
These things we must remember
in estimating mans characteristics,
his faults and his virtues; for these
ARE the conditions which make him
what he is. In other words, mans
actions patterns reflect as in mir
ror his environment and here we
have an all important educational
principle-the environment is the
mold which predetermines the man.
In this struggle he has developed
certain virtues - valor, strength,
power, courage, chivalry, courtesy,
etc., which l can but mention in
passing.
Let us turn now to the part which
woman has played in the evolution
of the world. First. she has been
the inspirer of life. Think it out,
and you will find that all the highest,
finest, noblest, truest things, that
man has done. have been called out
by the thought or the love or the
memory or the hope connected with
some woman. Woman has been the'l
handspring and motive force of it
all. Secondly, she has been the
home-maker. All that is fair, beau
tiful, and glorified in the home of
today, all that has lifted it above
the cave in the rocks, has been
wrought out by the hand and the |
presence of woman.
Next, woman has been the COM
forter of life. Read the history of
the past and you will find women !
on the battle fields, women in the |
hositals, women in sick chambers, |
women always in the hours of mans |
depression and despair: women at |
the crisis points of human life, every
where bringing the atmoshere of |
balm and help.
In this work she has developed |
special, peculiar virtues and quail |
ties which have given her power.
Beauty Of face, Of form, beauty Of /
mind, of character and of soul, en-
durance, patience, fidelity; these are |
her peculiar possessions and these |
from the beginning have proved |