Evening star., 1922-07-30
\ NE of the favorite intellectual

~ NE of the favorite intellectual
III sports engaged in by Ameri-
~ cans as we'll as Europeans
is the discussion of what
really is the predominating type Of
American girl-the average type.
Magazines and newspapers are full OF
Photographic contests to determine
the outstanding physical type OF
American beauty, and many essays
appear in books and periodicals dis
cussing at length some of the many
complex angles of the more elusive
spiritual type of the. American girl.
She is really like a beautiful glass
simple and crystal
clear to case at in genial admiration
but infinitely complex and evasively
fragile when closer inspection is at
tempted,
IN the first place. there are many
possibilities for the origin of this
ideal girl in a nation which Is univer-
sally proclaimed to be the melting
pot of the world" She may be a di-
rect descendant of one of the much
talked-ab voyagers on the May
flower Yet, on the other hand. she
may be the daughter of immigrants
who came to this country less than a
generation ago. She may be girl of
lowly origin who. by exceptional bril-
liancy and will power. has won a
place for herself in the world OF busi:
ness, or she may be a much-coddled
boarding school girl. daughter OF rich
parents, who. in spite Of her luxu-
rious upbringing, has developed an
1t may readily be seen that there
are all sorts Of possibilities as to
the origin of what might be consider
.e ed the average American girl. How
ever, we find. after discussing this
subject with people of academic. SCI
that the general view would place the
average American girl as the daugh-
ter of a family whose finances would
place them inswhat in England Is con-
sidered the upper middle class.
Although class distinction does eK-
ist in our own democratic country to-
quite a definite degree. it is. after all.
more orr less Of a movable feast In the
case of each individual family. Every
family of the two-f1at apartment
achieve the apartment house with the
marble vestibule. while the fnhabi-
tants Of such an apartment are grasp
ing after tin Liszie and bungalow
So it goes on up the scale,-the
regular American trait of keeping up
with the Joneses" Because OF this
national tendency. 1t is even more dif-
ficult to put the American girl IN a
particular pigeonhole and keep her
there.
THEN too. the American girl. Is so
L full of energy and ambition that
she is not content to allow herself to
get into a definite business or social
groove. She is forever seeking to
cultivate her abilities along varied
lines. Through the medium of col
lege lecture courses. women's clubs
and arts and crafts departments Of
large city stores, she learns at least
the fundamentals of many subjects
ranging from. French and Spanish. So
ciology and rhythmic dancing, to
poets of South, America. French music
/ composers and china painting.
: Many<a young stenographers moth
er is made to feel distinctly. uncom-
Portable. if.anot actually unhappy,
when daughter insists that the huge
vase with the red roses on 1t and the
KoId tasseled piano lamp shade must
tard-yello~ candle in a grotesaue
wooden -=candlestick, painted with
cartwheel blossoms, and a parchment
lamp shade of black. with exotic trop-
fcal birds painted on 1t. But there Is
always hope, for probably next year
French renaissance and dainty shep-
herdesses will hold sway over the par
lor decorations.
Yet. after all, this, spirit of dilet-