The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-07-20

kcuSIal tnaC Lnelf eiuerS are m uuu8er of resigning themselves to the prospect of oblivion at fifty or even at forty, says recent exchange
 Particularly is this true with the . female of the species. When told often enough and loudf, enough that Nature has made her incapable of a new idea after 30, that the best of ! her life is over at 40 and that from this time to the end of the journey all she can. hope to de is to jog along in whatever rut she may Live found, Q ! credulons woman naturally slices into any friendly shelf at the approach of ] the ffties and leaves the ceuter of the: stage to her children.
 There is another side to the picture, | says the New York Times. Attention has been focused upon tt of late by several women who have insisted upon ] stepping into the spo. light at time when 1t was according to Hoyle for them to be steering for the wings. Their | insistence is not new, but it is q timely reminder for. frightened women to take look at facts behind the theories.
 A short while ago Olga Nethersole announced her intenti of trying for Parliament at the age of 5, after having finished an arduous career as actress and theatrical manager. About the same time Gertrude At-erton, ad- hitting she is 60-odd, told the world that, while she recommended rejuyen- atfon for others, she had no need for it herself. She was still young enough to get the best out of life without aids
 Now comes the Viscountess Rhond- da--a mere child in comparison with Mrs. Atherton, but spoken of IS mid die-aged with her determination. of busting" into the House of Lords be- fore the summer is over. Lady Rhondda is fl.
 Age and Accomplishment
 The total number of women record r ed in Who's Who fir 1924 is 7S2. Of this number 291 give the dates of their birth. Of the 291 whose ages are given 10 record only war work done. Eigh- teen have achieved nothing worthy of mentioning except husbands and more or less in the way If titles-all of the Is being English women. In 46 cases no dates are given that can be relied upon to relate work to the age at which. It was done Eliminating these "A, we have 217 left to study.
 The oldest of the PIT wom n is now 96 and the youngest is g. Two of the number are past 90; IS are between 80 and 90; 30 are between { and 30; 6S are between 60 and 70; 5I are be- tween 90 and 60; 40 ar. between 40 and 30, and s are bct;.ec 30 and 40.
 Mrs. Janet Little Story st-nds at the head of the senior class. She is an English woman of 90, who records half dozen publications as the fruit Of her years between 64 and 6S, and none earlier. She gives her recreation as whist and music.
 Navf anpoas Charl0ffo ze 92, director and treasurer of orphans homes at 30 and reported as still ac- tive. The Hon. Emmelinc Mary Pun kett follows at 80, having published several books, the first at 51 and the last at 6S. Mnle Juliettc Adam, also known as Juliette Lamber, who has been called the Geo se Eliot of France, is SS. She founded the Nouvelle Revue at 43 and conducted it until she was 63, Miss Constance Fre.erica Gordon Cumming, the twelfth child O. Sir Will liam Gordon Cumming, is S7. Her rec ord states that her special interest now lis working for the development of the invention O. the numeral type for the use of illiterate Chinese, both blind and seeing. in Mandarin-speaking dis triets of China
 A Varied Record
 SAlEcg Clafin Martin holds the record for varied experiences. She was born in Homer, O., S6 years ago, the seventh child of the family, and has , zen fi- nancier, banker, writer, editor, proprie- tor of magazine, suffrage leader, la- bor propagandist and candidate for the presidency of the United States. The Equal Rights party nominated her for that at the age of 34.. She gives no later dates, but says that for 30 years she has conducted propaganda work for working classes in Europe and Amer lea" and is the author of a number of publications. With all this history she has had time to marry twice and bring up two children.
 Mrs. Janet Anne Rozs, who was mar ried at 22, began her career as author with book of Italian sketches at 45, and dozen books register her activity from that age until so. Mrs. Sarah Anne Lees married at 32, began a pub lie career at 49, was mayor of borough at 6S, Alderman at 71 and re- ceiyed the degree of IL. D. at 72, ten years ago Gertrude Jekvll, 'unmar- ried, began life as q painter, but de- veloping progressive myopia turned to house decoration and writing. Between 66 and 75 she published twelve books, She is now S1. Mrs. Edith Clarke, 30, was married at 32 and Las been prin- cipal of a national tr~iLing school of cookery from S1 to 75.
 Seven of the IS between 30 and 90 published books ai ages ranging all the way from g to 70. Two are artists, one having exhibited at the Royal Academy from 19 to 51 "nd pubIishC poems from 20 to 6S, and the other having taken medals up to 60 and pub lished a number of works between 8 and 61.
 The baby of the 217 is Joan Rosita Forbes, explorer anG author of 31, who had published several Ooks by the time she was %. She has a close second in Stella Benson, of S2, whose first novel appeared when she was = and who has added four more to her list. A secretary to a public official of England, a writer of four books not listed in available catalogues, and Kathls e: -p-rlow, the viOlinist, are unde. 36. The three re- maining in the infa,.t lass are between 35 and 40. They are two actresses and one poet and critic whose first book was published at %.
 Women Writers
 Chased by occupations, the two largest groups include educational workers and those who have committed authorship. Many of the authors be- long also in other groups, which are superiority in the author group. It seems to be largely followed custom to rise from everything else into au- thorship. Also the group include writ CTS on technical subjects. besid,s obli- ous seekers for self-expression. All this, however, does not alter the relation of vitality to age