San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-03-21

youth. For ages, youth and beauty
composed woman's sole stock in trade.
In plain, cold words, her living depended
upon it. II she could not use it to get
herself man who in turn got her a
living she had a poor chance OF ever
getting anywhere herself Economically
her value was minus with the exception
OF the field of working through men. II
she was known to be an excellent cook
and fine household manager. youth
and beauty might be dispensed with. but
under those circumstances Size got little
consideration and heavy work. The Gus
tom of the dowry, too. sprang up from
this attempt to palm off the old ugly
ones who otherwise might be drug on
the market, But taken all in all. youth
and beauty made the best bargains and
got the softcst places in life. so youth
and beauty became special feminine
cult
The world has not altogether changed
in this particular and probably never
will. but women now have more chance
to use their brains in different ways. to
make places for themselves. to develop
their personalities and so free themselves
of much small vanity and conceit. Be
side this change goes another one, the
growth OF an idea that is by no means
confined to women alone.
Students OF psychological phenomena
have come to see the stultiiying effect
OF limiting ideas. The mental attitude to-
wards age is one OF them. A certain
number of actual years are supposed to
carry with them certain results and in
this settled physical routine the mind has
acquiesced, with the result
that the routine has become more strong
ly fixed.
But the effect of the mental upon the
physical is now 50 generally recognized
that an effort everywhere is being made
to throw off all the set suggestions that
go with certain age. To an extent
this has been done. Fifty years ago. a !
of forty was an old woman. She
had lived life and for the rest of it |
could sit in the corner with cap tied
under her chin. Put any woman of |
iorty into a corner with cap at present
and see how long she will stay. She
would never even get there in the first |
place.
Though one may not by taking thought |
,hange ones stature, or return the bloom |
Of youth to cheeks that are no longer |
youthful. still letting oneself be limited
BY the actual number of years acquired
and by doing only those stereotyped
Ihings supposed to go with a certain age. |
onc assists merely in aging oneself. There
are a sufficient number OF people in ones
environment, who, having succumbed to
the idea OF age themselves and therefore
wishing all others to do likewise. will
be quick to say: "Ihe idea !-tnd al
woman of her age" This, in itself is
argument sufficient for forgetting ones
lge.
The English woman member OF parlia-
nent who has refused her age to the
public may not be inspired by the "snf-
iciently feminine quality OF vanity
With an eye to future activity, a dis
inctivc career dependent on human
qualities and abilities, she may simply
-efuse 10 let herself be limited by set
lge. Moreover, she may wish to do
way with suggestions OF her environ
nent which would mold her to the ctr
.ent standard of mediocr;ty. Is she a
vain woman or merely wise beyond her
irnes