WOMEN'S WORK.
The Christmas holidays being over, the young ladies returned slowly,
and many of them reluctantly, to the school.
A few left for good; some of them on their own account, some at the
request of the principal. New pupils took their places, and almost at
once the regular routine of work began.
Miss Ashton in one of her short morning talks told them, while the
past term had been in many respects a satisfactory one, there had been
several occurrences which she should be sorry to see repeated. It
would not be necessary for her to enumerate them; they were well known
to the old pupils, and for the new ones, she sincerely hoped there
would be no occasion for them ever to hear of them.
There were now some important things, upon strict attendance to which
she should insist during the remainder of the year.
One was, a more honest observance of the study hours; another, less
gossip: perhaps she should be better understood if she said a higher
tone of social intercourse. A thing never to be forgotten was, that
the school-life was a preparation for the longer one beyond, and that,
a preparation for the one that never ends.
"Sometimes," she said, dropping into that hushed tone which every girl
in the remotest seat from her desk heard so easily, "I think our lives
are but the school in which we all have set lessons to learn, set
tasks to perform; and our wise Teacher, so patient, so gentle, so
loving with us, when the great examination day comes, will hold us
strictly accountable for every slighted lesson, for every neglected
duty.
"If I could only impress upon you to-day how vitally important here
and hereafter the faithful discharge of even your smallest duties may
be to you, I should know that when our year together is over, and I
part from many of you for the last time, I should meet you again as
'crowns of my rejoicing.'
"I need hardly say, certainly not to the more intelligent, who would
naturally gather information of this kind, how varied and important a
woman's work in life has grown to be. You are all more or less
familiar with the fact that we have now entrance into the best
colleges, both here and abroad. You know how we are educated for every
profession, and to what eminence many of us have climbed. You
understand fully, that there is not a position in the literary,
business, mechanical, or art world in which to-day a woman may not be
found working successfully.
"You know, too, that where prizes have been offered in academical
institutions, no matter for what object, it is by no means an uncommon
thing for it to be awarded to a girl. Last week a class of fourteen
women were graduated from the law department of the University of the
City of New York. It is said to be the first law class exclusively of
women that has ever been graduated.
"Two female medical graduates have been appointed house surgeons at
two English hospitals. A society has been incorporated in New York
entitled the 'Colonial Dames of America,' and to be located in New
York City.
"Its objects are set forth to be, to collect manuscripts, traditions,
relics, and mementoes of by-gone days for preservation; to commemorate
the history and success of the American Revolution and consequent
birth of the republic of the United States; to diffuse healthful and
intelligent information with regard to American history, and tending
to create a popular interest therein, and to inspire patriotism and
love of country; to promote social interest and fellowship among its
members, and to inculcate among the young the obligations of
patriotism and reverence for the founders of American constitutional
liberty.
"A number of prominent ladies are included in the list of officers.
"In this connection I will read you a short article I found in my
morning paper; and here, let me say, there is not a girl in the school
who should not in some way manage to spend a half-hour every day in
looking over a newspaper.
"I have heard intelligent gentlemen complain of the ignorance of women
about the ordinary public life.
"'They will talk to you,' they say, 'about housekeeping and servants:
they grow eloquent over their children, and sometimes their husbands;
but take them out of the region of home, and they are dull company.'
"The exceptions of those who are up in the literary, political,
scientific, and socialistic world is infinitely small, and all--all
because they will not take the trouble to make themselves intelligent
on the great questions of the day, by reading newspapers."
To go on, however, with what women are doing.
"The New Women's Propylaeum, in Indianapolis, Indiana, is now
completed, and was dedicated January 27.
"This building bears the distinction of being the first one erected by
women not associated as a club or society. Primarily, its use is for
purely business purposes, and secondly, with an educational object in
view. Six or seven women, with Mrs. May Wright Sewall at the head,
have raised the money and carried out the project. It seemed at first
to the public generally like a wild scheme, but the women who had the
matter in hand knew just what they wanted, and made every effort to
carry out their plans successfully. The board of managers is made up
of fifteen women.
"Mrs. Sewall says, 'The building of the Propylaeum has been to all of
us a valuable experience. We have been obliged to meet business men,
and to familiarize ourselves with business methods, and have thus
acquired an education unusual to women. The lot has a frontage of
seventy-five feet, and a depth of sixty-seven feet. The building
contains twenty-one rooms, there being two stories above an English
basement. The lot cost $5,500, and the building complete $22,500,
making a total of $28,000; and $2,000 has been put into furniture. The
front of the Propylaeum is of ashlar and rock-face work, and it is
pronounced a very beautiful structure. The women take special pride in
the kitchen, which is complete in every respect. In the front basement
are two sets of doctors' offices, both of which were rented long ago;
one set to Dr. Maria Gates, and the other to Dr. Mary Smith. Dr. Gates
is a graduate of the Chicago Medical College, and Dr. Smith of the
Michigan University. The latter is physician at the female prison and
reformatory.
"'The east parlor is rented by the Woman's Club, the Matinee Musicale,
the Indianapolis Art Association, and the Contemporary Club, each of
which has arranged to meet on such occasions that they will not
interfere with each other. The west parlor is rented for physical
culture classes, and to the Christian scientists for their Sunday
meetings. The assembly hall will be for rent for entertainments.'
"This is interesting, as showing what an active, intelligent set of
women have done.
"Perhaps some day I shall be receiving newspaper notices of even more
important and successful work accomplished by some of my pupils. Here
is an interesting notice of women as inventors: 'Within the last
century, women have entered for the first time in the history of the
world as competitors with men in the field of original contrivances.
In the last two years and a half they have secured from the government
exclusive rights in five hundred machines and other devices. In the
line of machinery, pure and simple, the patent-office reports show
they have exhibited great inventive capacity. Among remarkable patents
of theirs, are patents for electrical lighting, noiseless elevated
roads, apparatus for raising sunken vessels, sewing-machine motors,
screw propellers, agricultural tools, spinning-machines, locomotive
wheels, burglar alarms.
"'Quite a sensation has been caused among the clerks in the New York
post-office by the entrance of seven young women into the money-order
department as clerks during the last month. The girls obtained their
positions by surpassing their male competitors at the civil-service
examination, and will receive the same pay as male clerks.'
"Here is another that will interest the ambitiously literary among
you:--
"'Miss Kingsley, daughter of Charles Kingsley, has been awarded the
decoration of the French academic palms, with the grade of "officer
of the academy," for her valuable writings upon French art.'
"There seems, as you will notice from what I have read you, no bounds
to what we women not only can do, but in which our success is
generously allowed and honorably mentioned; but there are several
things to which I may as well call your attention here.
"There is not now, there never has been, an honorable achievement, but
it has been gained by steady, persevering effort. I think I could pick
out from among the young ladies before me, those who in the future
will be able to hold positions of trust and usefulness, perhaps
renown; they are the girls who are true, honest workers, day in and
day out, week in and week out. This honest work never has been, never
will be, done where time is frittered away, where rules are broken,
where those numberless little deceits which I am grieved to say many a
girl who should be far above them sometimes practises; it requires a
noble character to do noble work.
"I am desirous, particularly so, to impress upon you all to-day, as it
is the beginning of our longest, hardest, and most important term of
the year, the necessity for every one of you individually doing her
best as a scholar, as a lady, and, let me add, what I wish I could
feel sure you would strive for beyond all other claims, as a
Christian. A true Christian is as good a scholar as her natural
abilities allow, a lady she must be everywhere, and at every time.
"In closing, I have one request to make of you; you will see, while it
does not seem to bear immediately upon what I have been saying, there
is a close connection.
"I want to turn your attention specially to women's work in this
nineteenth century. When you learn in a more extended manner than I
have been able to give you this morning, what they have done, what
they are doing, and what they expect to do, you will realize more
fully your share in the life before you.
"In order that you may do this, at some not distant time, we will all
meet in the parlor, and I shall expect every one of you to bring to me
some account of this work. From two hundred of you, we ought to gather
enough to make us not only proud of being women, but ambitious to be
among the leaders of our sex."
* * * * *
Then she dismissed the school.