Year: 1878

PREFACE.


In a long experience of taking care of
property for others, | have had frequent
occasion to notice the embarrassments of
women possessed of property who have had
no experience in business affairs, and are
without an experienced friend with whom
they could naturally consult.


Under these circumstances many instances
of peculiar hardship, not to say of ilagrant
injustice, have come to my knowledge, in
view of which | have felt constrained to
prepare this little work of hints and helps,
hoping to alleviate embarrassments which
can be removed only by time, through a
wiser system of female education and more
lust and enlightened sentiment in society.
Only by time-because, generally, women
seem contented in their wonted condition of
effeminancy and dependency, and men are
only too willing that there should be no
change, as it might break the charm that
lies in their helplessness.


propose to treat, are mainly due to a cause
so remote as to be much overlooked, but it
is not, on that account, less potential in
consequences. The cause is this: AS the
law of nature, which equaliZes the sexes,
provides husband for nearly every woman,
it is assumed that girls training and edu-
cation need go no further than to fit her to
be a wife and mother and a companion of
man, all which is neither more nor less
than condition of dependency. Now if
every woman had a husband, and ne COM
petent business man, the evil of her 3efec.
tive education might be borne, though the
man might feel the loss of an intelligent
counselor by his side. But the facts in the
case are far otherwise. Celibacy is a com
mon thing, and a growing and serious evil
in American society. OF course there are
many women who can not marry, many
more are widows, and there are many who
have husbands as incompetent for business
society is found the chief source of woman's
disabilities. And-it is obvious that there
is no relief from them in vague complain
ing, nor merely in voting, nor yet in a So
called higher education. Education is, in
deed, the great desideratum, but not so
much the higher as Il broader and more
practical education. Those branches in
education, which have hitherto been con-
sidered unnecessary and unlady-like for
women, must not be neglected by them if
they are ever to be prepared for the vicissi
tudes which, in these abnormal circum-
stances, await them, or rise from their pres
ent state of soft subjection " to exert their
best influence upon men. In accordance
with these views, the following studies, of
which at present but little account is made,
may be indicated as indispensable to female
education: the common arithmetic, the ele-
ments of political economy, the forms of
business transactions, and the principles
use and management of property. Give to
women the qualifications to be derived from
these studies, and they will be prepared to
discharge those external duties which Provi
ueuCc so ollcu HiIooCS upoh w i'h
these qualifications women will earn and
secure the recognition of all their rights.
1t is my desire that in the mean time those
into whose hands this brief treatise may
fall shall have some assistance in their
onerous but welcome duties. | shall refer
to all the ordinary transactions in business
affairs, discuss the elements of financial
securities, offer some suggestions on the
increase of property where more is needed,