LADIES' COLUMN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 9452, 24 August 1889, Page 4 (Supplement)

LADIES' COLUMN.

THE EDUCATION OF GIRLS.

In these days, when there is so much talk of the "higher education of women," it docs seem strange that the majority of girls are brought up without any definite view of their future position in life. In days gone by men wore practically divided into two classes—the educated and the uneducated —the former including those who by birth and fortune were entitled to a liberal education, while those who had to "rope their way through the business of life received littlaror no education. At the present day men receive instruction calculated to be of uso to them in whatever path of life they intend to tread —they are educated either for a trade, a profession, an agricultural life, or for the pursuit of an art or science. But the average education given to girls during their schooldays is very much the same, whether she is likely to spend her days in the quiofc enjoyment of presiding over a household and studying the comfort and welfare of a partner in life, or whether she lias to earn her own living in any calling open for female competition. Recognised education is composed of two kinds of teaching—teaching of the past and teaching for the future—and in these utilitarian days, when so many women have to support themselves and very often others, it seems to us that the latter kind of instruction is quite as important, if not more so, than the former. When reverses come (as they very often do) to a family in the middle rank of life, and the girls of that family have to realise the necessity for making some effort to lighten the burden of poverty, what is the direction which they turn ? .In nine cases out of ten is it not to teaching ? Governesses and companions are a drug in the market, pimply because there are so many scores of needy girls possessed of average educations, which they consider justify them in undertaking the post of instructress to the young. One half of the women who enter on life possessed of " accomplishments" let slip every art or practice which goes to make up that comprehensive term, unless they are obliged to keep up their knowledge by imparting it to others. Do six out of every twelve girls keep up their music, singing, or painting after they have entered the holy bonds of matrimony ? Do they ever give a thought (if they can help it) to many of the subjects which cost both them and their teachers such weary hours during their schooldays We do not for a moment join our voice with those that clamour against accomplishments and what old-fashioned governesses are wont to designate "solid acquirements," but we are aware that there must be something wrong somewhere if women who start in life as "well-informed" throw all their information to the winds, and completely forget what had taken much time, trouble, and expense for them to acquire. If a woman, by her education, is neither fitted to take a part, singly or otherwise, in the more public or general work of society, nor yet to perform the more simple and subordinate duties which bolong to domestic life (and which are so highly important), then we say she is an anomaly in her sphere, and that her education has been a failure. As long as society remains as it is marriage will bo the ultimate object to which young women (and their parents or guardians) will look forward, ovon when stern necessity obliges them to bo for a time at any rate selfsupporting, and the knowledge of household affairs should, therefore, be included among the fundamental parts of their education.

The romance of King Cophetua and the beggar girl is very delightful in fiction ; but wo do not see it enacted in everyday life. Nor do we meet handsome knights with empty heads and heavy purses in search of lovely and penniless girls. The true state of the ease is that when a girl marries " for richer, for poorer," she has to fill one or two positions. She chooses or is chosen by a man who is well off in the things of this world, or elfe a man whoso means are limited or porhaps more than limited —pinched. In the first instance, if her husband bo a prosperous professional or business man, with a good trade or lucrative connection, the question to be faced is this—ls she sensible and wellinformed, cultivated in mind arid liberal in her dress, calculated to bo the suitable companion of a man rising by talent, and industry to wealth and it may be fame ? Has site the judgment, discretion, energy, and ability to be useful to him ? Is she lit to manage an establishment like his and thus aid him in hiscarcer? Then, in the other instance, when a girl marries a man who, it may bo, is at the foot of the ladder, which ho hones to ascend by dint of much struggling, the questions in her ease are — Is she a fitting helpmate for him in the battle of life ? Can she develop that active industry and strict economy necessary to preserve thorn from want and discomfort, and is she qualified to govern her household without disorder, unpunctuality, hurry, and fuss ? Can she darn stockings, make garments, light fires, roast a joint, sweep carpets, or can she help to do thorn, or does sho know how to have them properly done by others ? There are certain attainments which prove equally valuable in any or rather in every position in life. Among those are method, order, punctuality, despatch, clearness of perception, and other qualifications, such as the ability to ovorcomo prejudice, fitness to accept responsibility and control of fcho temper. These attainments belong more to training than education, and the formation of such habits depends to a great extent on mothers, or in those who stand in loco jxirentis. Some knowledge of sanitation should be imparted to girls, for every woman should understand enough of elementary physiology to enable her to take care of her health, and to rear a family on correct sanitary principles. How many girls leave school in utter ignorance of much that is positively necessary to their well-being, and it remains with themselves whether they subsequently pick up such knowledge or not. Her knowledge of arithmetic is not of that sort which will aid her in checking the butcher's bill, much less it will assist her in forming an accurate estimate of the expenses of a household. She knows nothing of the principles of reasoning, and is therefore a ready victim to a plausible argument, whether it be in the matter of making choice of a creed or new bonnet. She is nob quite certain whether stoves and boots are polished with blacking or black lead, but supposes it does not matter so very much after all so long as they are made to shine ; she really could not tell you whether a ham should bo skinned or boiled first, and would suggest that the cook do whichever sho considers the easier plan. In the name of all that is sensible, what is the use of an education which teaches "ologios" and "onor.iies" to the utter exclusion of so much that is really needed in after life? —"Iris," in the Leader. . WHEN TO MARRY. Probably the best time for the averago civilised woman to marry would bo any age between 24 and 36. It is not said that no woman should marry earlier or later than oitlicr of these agos ; but youth and health and vigour are ordinarily at their highest perfection between theso two periods. Very early marriages are seldom desirable for girls, and that for many reasons. The brain is immature, the reason is feeble, and the character is unformed. The considerations which would prompt a girl to marry at 17 would in many cases have very little weight with her at 24» At 17 sho is a child, at 24 a woman. Where a <drl has intelligent parents, the seven yoars between 17 and 24 are the period when both mind and body arc most amenable to wise discipline. Before 17 few girls have learned to understand what life is, what discipline is, what duty is. They cannot value what is best, either in the father's wisdom or in the mother's tenderness. When married at that childish period, they are like young recruits taken fresh from the farm and tha workshop and hurried off to a long campaign without any period of preliminary drill and training, or like a schoolboy removed from school to a curacy without bein r ' sent to the university or to a theological hall. Who can help grieving over a child-wife, especially if she have children, and a husband who is an inexperienced, and possibly exacting, boy-man? The ardour of his 'ova soon cools ; the visionary bliss of her poetical imagination vanishes like the summer mist; there is nothing left bub disappointment and wonder that what promised to be so beautiful and long a day should hav: clouded over almost before sunrise— Hospital.