Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-05-11
Through a
Wo,nan's Eyes
by JEAN NEWTON
House,cork and the Educated
Woman
BY JEAN NEWTON

\ newspaper IN New York has
opened its columns 70 reader discussion
Of whether college bred woman or
one who has had sufficient training TO
be classed as well educated can be
happy doing her own houscwork. The
implication. of course. is that the
drudgcry in hOuSework constitutes Il
tragedy for the woman who l. mentally
fitted to do things which are more
eXacting from an intellectual point of
view.
One or two rcbelious souls have
poured out their woes through these
columns. complaining Of Il life spent
in cooking and mopping. when they
might be reading Shelley or enjoying
Chopin. But this does not answer the
question.
Everybody knows that. educated or
not. there are more enjoyable things
for those on pleasure bent. than doing
homework. y woman docs not have
20 be intellectual to find in any civ
IN the country attractions that would
lure her from duty. The point Of the
question raised Is whether the educated
woman. because she is educated. +.
more unhappy over having to do her
own housework than her less intcllcc-
tual sister.
And from a comparison of well. cdu :
Gated women of my acquaintance who
nave married struggling young profes-
~!onal men and are forced 10 do their
own housewOrk with women Of less men .
tai training and capacity. the educated
woman eMergos not aS misplaced, dis
rOntent"d and unhappy. bur rs the
more efficient and better adapted for
those duties than the uneducared woman
who also finds them thrust newly upon
her.
Th" woman who il educated gets
more fun out Of household duties be =
raus" of her trained vicwpoint. Col
Icge- bred or self educated she is more
systematic and 80 knows how to make
her work easier. She has been trained
10 d"lve. to be interested. 50 duties
that 10 another woman might mean
only drudgery she sees in their more
INTERESTING aspects.
To her household is not mcrrlyI n
n!ac" TO eat and sleep. but an estab- :
!ishment 70 be managed AS intelligcnrly
ana with as much interest as her hus :
oand establishment downtown. She
does not think superiicially or Sion
ply. Her mind is trained to detail and
the belief that anything worth doing
is worth doing well.
Interested in the science of the thing
she reads a household magazine with
aS much interest as u treatise on poli :
ties or philosophy. She keeps abreast
On III" new ways and enjoys making
improvements. Her home develops in .
t"rcStIng problems and she is proud of
her work in II, not ashamed.
Indeed. why T." ashamed Of n lob ,hot
calls int" rcquistIon all ones knowlcdgr
81 d!"i"tirS. sanitation, interior deco
ration and the social arts. For n
her cleaning house and cooking are not
lMSt mopping and p"rling potatoes,
They are sanitation and d!etetIcs. twc
sciences in which there is always some
thing TO learn.
And If there are children. They
represent not drudgcry that only II
mother can endure, but fascinating
studies and problems worthy Of Nh,
FeeneSt and most brilliant mind, !,
which all he arts and sciences know
in or out Of college are nor quite equal
Like any other occupation whicl
abSorbs the major port ion Of ones tim,
and energy, home and children are no
proof against occasional rebellion, rr,
gardieSS Of what n woman's ; intollcctua
attainm"nts may be. But cducatio,
does not make mistitS Of wives an(
mothers IL they have 10 do their ow,
work. On the contrary. it helps then
to greater accomplishment and rnjny,
mcnt of their work.