WOMEN CITIZENS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 50, 23 November 1918, Page 4

WOMEN CITIZENS

(Bv Jida Oldhnm, M.A.. president. <f , "llio British Association of Head Mistresses.) Four years ago few people unnld have been foiind to' pronhcsy lliat ono of Hie tvsif.lt/? of a ir;i!' unexampled in scale, horror and icisstructiveness, would be the quiet concession lo women of n largo iir.-t instalment of thai. I'arliamcntury suffrage which they luid so Ion.? vainly demanded. "Nothing happens but. Hie unforeseen," say our witty neighbours ami 'allies, and the manner, if not the fact, of this happening justifies the pithy saying. .\ow it, is obvious that a great power is being committed' to the hands of women, and it is for them to show that they can exercise, it worthily. It will not do for women to pat their responsibilities upon other?, and tu adopt without examination the views of either' their male relatives and friends or cf other women with more' intellectual activity and more social zeal than themselves. The Good of the Group. The first essential for ritizenship )s education—we cannot serve if we do not know. Education for citizenship begins as soon as a, child is old enough to realise that she must not, in order ro gratify herself, do what will hurt others. Women have often been accused of lack of this "comnuMiity" feeling, and while, it lias been granted'' that they arc very generally unselfish in lhair devotion to husband" and children, tlwy have been reproached with a. want of that 1,-iTger unselfishness which refuses 10 accept advantage, personal or family, at the cost of injury to the community, i'ood hoarding ami food grabbing, for example, would have been rarer in vecout tiniM If the sense of eitizeiiship had .been stronger. Tho next step in education for citizenship should be tho awakening of a sense of responsibility. We are citizens of a. great democratic State—Hint is of a Slate which has adopted the principle of government of tho people, by the people for the people. It is we citizens and no others who are responsible for its good government, for its institutions, good and bad, for the condition of tho masses of its people, for tho execution of il« \n\k. . It has no nilcre Hint we, ils citizens, cannot, if wo expert ourselves, both make and it/iiunke, no institutions that wo cannot mend or end, no laws that wo. cannot replace by others.

Now Hie best, preparation for carryin;; out this great task of government which is laid npuu each citizen of a democralic State is to learn to govern herself. Parents' and schools alike have, 1 Hi ink, much lo do in developing among their children the power of sclfguvonimcnl. In the past .schools have relied greatly upon rules and punishments for those who broko them. Too often, both in the family and in the school, it was thought unnecessary to explain the reason and the justification of (ho rules lo those who were expected lo obey them, and the a-esult has been too often resentment <iud disobedience. Calling Children into Counsel. The willing obedience which often follows an appeal to reason and judgment had no chance to exist. There is jio liner virtue bhaJi obedience, but Iho self-respecting obedience of the free man is a far nobler thing than tho cowed submission of the slave. Let us call Iho reason of our children into counsel; let us try lo make them understand lire nobility Hint lies in checking the lawless impulse, in laying down voluntarily for the common good « portion of oiir freedom, in following loyally the appointed leader. "It is' a iino thing, says the writsr who drow ' tor us the "lielovcd Captain," "when men ' trust their leader and will follow him anywhere; but it is a still finer thing when thev will'stand by any leader, whether they know him or not, and this last is the* fruit of perfect discipline." • Then having learnt'tho lesson of selfdiscipline, our young people may be trusted with ii large share in their own "overnment. A eront deal of the license and lawlessness which we deplore in theso days is a reaction against overgovernment.' Our "citizens to be, to whom such powers will be committed, need our counsel and'our guidance, 'but coercion should be as rare as is consistent with their safety, and, «fle.r reason is developed, blind obedience should not lie expected. Schools should be far bolder in trying experiments in self-government I)V their pupils, and fertile in plans for rousing iii them interest in everything that concerns .the welfare of their village, town, county, and ultimately ot their country and Empire. \.«ocinr«r with the work in schools should be visits to public institutions and to the meetings of public bodies where future citizens can learn something of tho nature of civic duties and the i qualifications required for _ their discharge. Abates and discissions on matters affecting the public welfare should be frequent. Citizens' associations in ovorv town and district might be .made i, mast powerful means of awakening intelligent interest .and supplying usctul information iii civic affaiiv.