THE "BACKFISCH,"

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1687, 1 March 1913, Page 15

THE "BACKFISCH,"

Aro Australian girls, as a type of young womanhood, in fidv&nco or behind thoso of of oldor countries? asks an Australian e i writer. Within the last fow weeks a good (, deal of criticism lias been directed against p, Molbourno girls, but, according to an w article in tho London "Daily Telegraph, tt i tlio girl of the poriod, wliotlier olio bo Jing- S 1 lisli, French, or Gorman, is a problem of ei tho hour. In Germany, tho "JJackfisch, w or flapper, has coin© under discussion, be- g< cause she is determinedly breaking away c< from tlio dull traditions which have hith- fi er.to governed German girlhood. Even ei le6s than ten years ago tho "home girl/ tl with her apron, everlasting crochet hook, tl and yearnings for a. forbidden flirtation, was the general typo of "madchen," but Is how a clicery young person who plays tl strenuous games and chats without to- tj serve in drawingrooms has taken her place.' It would seem that, lii epito of p even this advancement, tho ! Australian ei girl is a long way ahead. So much for i Germany. The French nation is said to bo «■ awaiting a young person who it is hoped n will be simple. She who was a girl ten pi years ago has become, far too complex and J pretentious, and eo overy endeavour has t been made, by changing tho standard of h education, to alter the_ type of tho every- n day mademoiselle. Within the past few " years kineinatograph and other influences p have been -used iri French schools with the l: idea of storing tho mind with general 11 knowledgo of tho world, and these, to- jj gether with branches of technical study, 1 aro tho agents which it is hoped have I helped to produce .the model girl who is J expeoted to mako hor first appearance in ' the early stages of young womanhood in 1913. In England it is anticipated that 0 tho new system of specialised education will develop a delightful personality among girls. Household soioncc, hygiene, dancing, and sport are at their command both ,in society as well as in the home, and so ft is hoped that the girl of 1913 will stand tl for a new type, strong, fine, and vigor- d ous. Biit those who expect all this won- c derful development seem to have foTgot- h ten that, in spite of ohange of forms of n training, human nature is just the same, o and will always be. r : - ' 0