Evening star., 1922-06-04

has become IA rather stale sub
ject for table conversation. the
American people are turning their at
\ tention to things nearer home for
discussion and criticism. The Ameri-
can girl, always. is coming in for
a LOT of criticism. especially since she
has been labeled the f1apper." Books
amt magaxpes are filled with the
opinions of adults on the fapper
Seeing that most of them agree on
one point at least. namely. that she
is generally a rather determined
young person who knows her own
mind. it is interesting to have secured
the. opinions of some of the fappers
themselves 1t is especially interest
ing to know the opinions of fiappers
as held by boys of their own age.
r
EEELlNG keenly the possibilities OF
this subject. a teacher of English
in one of the local high schools in
structed the members of one of her
classeslo write on the subject. inter-
preting a "flapper" as any present
day girl between the ages of sixteen
and twenty-one years. The subject
was divided under four headngs--the
ideal girl. the girl of the last genera
tton. the presnt-day girl. the balance
on the whole of gains and losses to
the American girl.
The discussions were very interest
ing. In general a final agreement
was reached on the following points:
That in externals. such as dignity.
grace. manners. the girl has lost and
fallen below ideal standards. but in
breadth of view. independence, eff
seienry. sense and health, she has
gained decidedly.
ONE of the girls papers includes
the following opinion: THE flap
Per today seeks to attract atten-
ton by extremes in dress and ac-
tf"ns. She wears bobbed hair. pow
dersd and painted face and short
skirts. She does not seem TO have
amy serious thoughts. is triiing and
silly and must be continually amused.
The girl Of the last generation was
seTate. serious minded. religious and
content to spend a quiet evening at
home with the family. playing games.
She was studious and industrious.
willing to help her mother: she was
=" reg uidr attendant at cnurcn. ne
girl Of today is fond of outdoor
sports of all kinds. never wants 10
stay at home. and would rather go
to a movie than church. She has
gained physically, but lost spiritually,
which is very deplora BILE
Another fappers opinion of the
qualities girl should have is given
as: "A girl. above all. should be a
good snort. honest and thoughtful.
So many girls nowadays are selfish
Il r l.
say a girl should be able to cook and
keep house. Girls have so little time
out of school. though. that ! think
it's better fer them to De outdoors.
y girl should be honest-that is the
most important point of ali: she
should be honest with herself and
with others
A BOY in the class gave as his list
Of qualifications which the ideal
girl should have Honesty. truthful
ness courtesy. unselfshness. ambi-
tion. faithfulness. loyalty. fair play.
greatness, courage and Godliness.- He
says the result is "an ideal and al
most perfect woman" One would
hardly consider the qualifying ad-
jective almost necessary" after that
string of lofty adjectives. One would
fear that such a girl might be ex-
ceedingly lonely. for ii would surely
be hard to find an Adam to match
such an Eve as that In speaking of
the girl of yesterday this wise youth
says:
IF one could have lifted the roof
off of a house during the last genera
tion and peered in to observe the life
of girl of that time. this is what
he would have seen: In the morning,
the girl learns about the art of cook
cry. After this, perhaps, she would
he instructed in sewing. Then lunch
would be served. In the afternoon. she
would read and help prepare the even
ing meal. After dinner she would
read the evening paper and retire
early. Sometimes she would go up
town in the morning to shop. Once
in awhile she would go to dance or
attend church sociable. Thus we
see that the girl of this period is of
the more reserved, well hammered
type; one who did not go out and
ningle with men and see for herself
the state of things and the ways of
the world"
LIE then mentions the part the war
played in breaking the shackles
from these poor. beknighted maidens
and continues
Then comes the new girl. the girl
Of today. She is a vastly different
girla Now, she does not, wish to re-
turn home and take up the old life.
She is 'peppy person. live wire.
She goes into the business world and
becomes a doctor, lawyer. even min
lister Many people think she has lost
her ideals. To be sure. her dress is
extreme, but that's only silly no.
tiou; fads come and go all the time.
Then again, she is not the quiet. re-
served girl of yesterday, but she has
entered the world of business and of
men. She competes with them and
she must hold her own. Men do not
treat women the same now. they are
not so courteous as before. The girl
must stand up for herself. Her ideals
have not deteriorated: they have
merely changed with men and the
times.
ON the whole. 1 think the girl of
this generation has gained. The girl
goes out and sees things for herself:
she gis an individual thinker. But she
las lost the perfect manners of the girl
of rhe last generation; she has lost
the respect of men. The girls of to-
dayt will not make as good house
wives as the girls of yesterday
nNE of the girls of the class gives
las her idea of the qualities pos
! sessed by the average girl of today:
"A Aapper is supposed to be a girl in
nhF Tteens tbut often she isn'D who
"a $ sTioise and who speaks up and is
snot ftimid. but not necessarily for
ward. either. a flapper discerns the