The Washington times., 1922-03-06
Ry 3. PHILLIPS oPPENHEIM.

NEW YORK, March 6.-Funda-
mentally, the sirl Of today, with
all her little fads and fancies, is
no different from the woman who
lived thousands of years ago.
Today's girl still cherishes deep
down in her heart the desire to
cook for one particular man, to
look after all his wants and fuss
over him. All her newly-won free
dom and all her tailored togs won't
destroy that instinct.
Freedom Of Discussion.
The modern young woman is more
precocious than she was, say, fifty
years ago. The flapper Of sixteen
knows what women of twenty-four
knew years ago. Her knowledge
may be superficial, but she u well
acquainted with the important facts
Of life.
Questions of sex. which were O
closed chapter to young girls q gen
eration ago, are discussed freely to.
day by young women and men, A
more liberal attitude in the boarding
schools and colleges contributed
largely to this freedom OF restraint
IN speech.
The guardians OF girls al the
present time have become more toll
Grant in their control of tho younger
mind.
An important factor in the unde-
niable change which has come over
young women in the past few years
Ia literature. Girls are reading diff
alisttcally with life. Newspapers
and other publications are read more
thoroughly nowadays, and the dis
cussions and news which they con-
tain also have helped markedly to-
ward establishing the new freedom.
Interest in Dancing.
Tho increased interest in dancing
has had It's effect on young ladies.
English girls take the same healthy
interest IN dancing as Americans.
/ have found nothing Objectionable
In the modern dances, neither here
nor In England. Dancing Is a
pleasant recreation which prompts
o free, wholesome companionship
between young men and women.
The freedom of the flapper il
not an outgrowth of the vogue for
collecting attire. 1t Is much more
significant than mannish clothes.
] should say, rather. that the
clcthes arc an expression Of the new
era in womanhood. rejecting the
desire for free, unrestrained move
ment. The same girls who sport
such clothes during the day, how
ever. blossom out In the fuffiest
OF gowns in the evening; so IT ID
or than dress.
The war was responsible for the
development of the modern girl.
II did away with innumerabie little
formalities which formerly served to
confine youthful tendencies.
She Is Vivacious.
I can speak of the case OF my own
daughter. When the war broke out
she left the school which she was
attending to teach blind officers how
to typewrite. This brought her In
contact with a circle of acquaint-
ances whom she would not ordinarily
have met for seven or eight years
later. The same II true OF other
families as well. r.g
Miss 1892, because Of her familiar
ity, sketchy though II may be, with
the affairs of the world, is a delight
full person to talk with. She In better
informed, more vivacious and can
adapt herself to a greater variety Of
persons.
There was a time when girls used
to bore me. I could never complain
of that state of mind with today's
young person.
Your American girls are mucl,
moro charming and less stilted than
our young English girls. I find them
bright and entertaining, constantly
absorbing new ideas, yet remaining
N..,.tv,tv.n n, anita af than, all