The Englishwoman’s Year Book for 1900.

White Ribbon, Volume 5, Issue 56, 1 February 1900, Page 7

The Englishwoman’s Year Book for 1900.

Edited by Emily Janes. The title, “ A Year Book,” has about as interesting a sound as “ A Dictionary,” yet 1 venture to think feu women will open this Englishwoman’s Year Book without a desire l>eing kindled to possess the volume. Valuable indeed the work is, not merely as a book of refer-

ence, but for the insight it gives into the life and surroundings of hundreds of thousands of women and children. Those who look beneath the surface letters will find engraved such records of misery and privation, toil and

p t.tience, aspiration and achievement, as make one both pity and envy the oming generation, who shall reap whatever of ill or good is now sown.

The spirit in which the gigantic task of editing such a book has l>een undertaken may be gathered from the preface, a few words from which 1 cannot hut (piote: '* Nothing human should be outside our scope, it is not those who are too full of self consciousness and self-conceit to see the tragedy and the comedy of real life, who can ever help poor humanity to those heights to which it can in God’s strength attain. For must not all our effort proceed from a heart of love, touched to fine issues, and a tender insight which will

make us teachable, humble, forbearing, ready to give and take, less bent on having our own way, or pushing our own small ends, than in striving to work together with God —Whom we have not seen—by co-operating with our brothers and sisters, whom we see sometimes only too plainly for our peace through those magnifying glasses or. which some of us set such store.” “ \\ e rejoice and we sorrow with the humblest of our kind. In all time of our wealth, in all time of our tribulation, may God deliver us from selfishness and hardness of heart.’’ “ The collective conscience of society, 4 God s Secretary,’ as Milton called it, is awake as it never was before. We see the truth of the Greek proverb, 4 One man, no man.

Turning to the contents of the book we find that forty-six pages are devoted to education, and in these pages full information is given concerning the

Universities, the privileges there accorded to and the restrictions placed upon women with regard to higher education. The University Examination results and scholarships, etc.,

awarded in 1899, afford clear evidence as to woman's mental ability. The information on Secondary Education, with lists of schools in various parts of England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland, will be welcome to many a parent and guardian. A few short but suggestive and commendatory paragraphs are given to the co-education of boys and girls.

Under the ’heading of Kindergarten Work, is to be found a short description of Sesame House for 44 Home Life Training.” The curriculum (for boarders and day students) embraces the science and practical work of gardening, household management, simple cooking, hygiene, needlewoik, and the personal care and education of young children. The frei Kindergarten, open daily, is under the leading of an experienced assistant, with whom the students work

in groups at a time. There are afternoon classes in botany, zoology, history of education, etc. “ The aim is to form a link between the receptive period of school life and the administrative work of womanhood, the students entering as much with a view to their own development, as with the aim of earning hereafter a livelihood as lady nurses to young children, or as trained child gardeners.”

Technical education in all itsbranches is dealt with, and it is interesting to note that scholarships are given for such subjects as nursing, agriculture, horticulture, dairy work, poultry farming, and domestic economy, as well as for the ordinary branches of science and art. Details of reading unions, libraries, evening schools, and colleges, are given for the benefit of the would-be student who cannot attend the more ordinary means of instruction. A list of 44 Books about the Education of Women,” also one of Educational Periodicals, will be most useful to those specially interested in such matters.

From the article introducing the section, 44 The Employment of Women,” I should like to make copious extracts. The writer (Miss Margaret Bateson) considers that the reason so few careers have been followed by women is that 44 these few employments engrossed the larger part of their attention That at any time from the days of Queen Bess to Queen Victoria there have been plenty of these openings ... I think the very elastic and loosely woven texture of human society clearly reveals. The openings, however, were not very apparent ; there were no index fingers pointing 4 This way to such and such a career.’ Within the last thirty or forty years many sign posts have been set up. . . . What is to my mind more cheering than an entry into certain professions and a pursuit of these

professions according precisely with the ancient traditions of men, is the creation by women of professions, branches of professions, or even more modest departments of work, by which they have organised the performance of some kind of service which was not so efficiently rendered before.’’ Strongly does the writer declaim against the

seeking of, and satisfaction with, the “little post,” which is all so many women aspire to. In commerce she thinks the woman worker may find a profitable field. One word more I

must quote, “ In regard to the choice of occupation I would say emphatically, Choose one that is likely to lead to something. Become neither a com-

panion nor a waitress.” Turning to the list of employments an 1 professions we find information as to training, probable remuneration, etc., for such varying branches of labour as accountantcy and agriculture, civil service and dentistry, lecturing and needlework. Worthy of note is the fact that some time ago 155 women were reported as being employed as commercial travellers. Stockbroking also claims the attention of two women, though the Stock Exchange does not a-> yet admit women as members.

To the medical profession is devoted a special section. Full particulars of Colleges and probable expense of training are given, and appended is a list of some hundreds of duly qualified medical women, including the name of our one New Zealand lady doctor.

That science has its women devotees is evidenced by the six pages filled with “ Notes on Women’s Work in Science in 1899.” From these pages we gather that women have rendered service to

the cause of science in astronomy, biology, chemistry, geology, physics, history, archaeology, economic science, hygiene and travel.

Opening the section devoted to literature are two short articles on Story Writing and Journalism respectively, and follow ing is a catalogue of women’s contributions to literature during 1899. Verily of the making of many books there is no end! Those interested in the sister studies of art and music are not forgotten* Valuable information is given as to opportunities for study and expense of same. Interesting to many will be the

pages devoted to sports, pastimes, and social life. Housekeepers are remembered, and many little semi-legal problems may be solved by reference to these pages. Travellers, too, will find the little volume much more useful than cumbersome, with its notes on places of Interest and Amusement in London and suburbs. The hints on Travelling and

list of Boarding Homes for Women will be a boon to many a stranger in a strange land. From the paragraphs on Thrift, we learn that twelve Friendly Societies, including the A.O.F. and I 0.0. F., adrit women as members. Evidently the woman ot the future is to be economically independent.

Most comprehensive is the public work section. The leading dates in connection with the “ Movement

to give women a share in Social and Imperial Government ” are given, also a list of the Public Offices filled by women at the present time, from the Queen down to rate collectors. The need f ;r women on all county, town, and p irish Councils, etc., is shown, and also the means to be adopted in order to gain a seat on these Boards. In Christchurch difficulty has been experienced in placing one woman on the Charitable Aid Board. From the pages before me I learn that in England and Wales alone there are nearly one thousand Poor Law Guardians. A short article on School Boards s°is

forth the absolute need for the presence of women on these bodies. In the Notes on Temperance Societies it is gratifying to see that a Nurses’ National Total Abstinence League was formed in 1897, a Deaconess* National Total Abstinence League in 1898. One error we detect. The name of Mrs Mary Clement Leavitt is given as the President of the World s W.C.T.U. As my readers are aware, on the death of Miss Willard, the duties of the office fell to the lot of Lady Henry Somerset until the next World s Convention, which meets this year in

Edinburgh. The list of Refuges and Rescue Homes (over 250) is simply appalling, as shadowing forth the iniquity and misery existing in the so-called Christian British Isles.

An interesting section is that dealing with the position of women in Church government. The Society of Friends, we find, makes absolutely no distinction in the duties and privileges of men and women The schools are for girls as well as boys. In the marriage service there is no “ obey,” but the beautiful pledge of love and faithfulness is exactly the same for both hus. band and wife. In many respects the Friends have been pioneers in the

woman’s movement The “ Events of the Year as They Affect Women,” and a Directory of the names and addresses of women who are well known to the world and to workers, make a fitting conclusion to a book every page of which abounds in interest. —L.M.S.