GIRLS OF ANOTHER AGE

Evening Star, Issue 22448, 19 September 1936, Page 25

GIRLS OF ANOTHER AGE

DO THEY DESERVE PITY? It has become the fashion for the modern young woman to pity the girl of tho nineteenth century and to deplore her lack of freedom. “ The poor dear had no vote; she swooned at sight' of a mouse; it wasn’t considered nice for her to go to business; she daren’t wear shorts; her only ambition was to marry; her parties were so formal; she never really lived ,the poor darling; her brain didn’t develop, you see.” The Real Things. _ The nineteenth century woman had time to think—and thinking makes us wise. She did not cram her. brain to such an extent that she was able to be .a business manager, typist, tennis player,_ dress designer, authority on cosmetics, banjo-mandolinist, swimmer, crooner, and tap dancer rolled into one. She didn’t do smart and showy things, and so the young modern concludes that she had no brains. Yet she was clever enough to, know just how to be completely and sincerely happy. As a matter of fact, her brain was free to assimilate whatever came its way. She had time and the room in her head to appreciate the real things of the world—the loveliness of the sky above her and the earth beneath her. She had time and room in her head for exquisite music. ■ She played on pianos and harps, and was in tune with the old masters of music. She had time for glorious needlework and for painting. She had timp for dreams—and because her dreams were simple she was able to fulfil them. Thus was she content. Since she knew how to achieve contentment she must-have used her head wisely. Tho female brain cannot have altered in a hundred years. The woman of to-day puts tho same brain to a different use. But is it a better use? Living Gracefully, Tho modern girl never thinks what a clever little girl Amelia was because she knew how to get khat she wanted, she knew how to get what she wanted, a vote; that when she swooned at sight of a mouse she took good care that a strong pair of male arms were willing to receive her; that she didn’t wear breeches because she knew full well the value of feminine charm; - that she didn’t go to business _ because she preferred the less fatiguing and exacting household chores j that she thoroughly enjoyed her parties because the age of chivalry had not then past; that in confessing her desire for marriage she was no different from .the modern girl except that she was franker. The steadily growing business of the Tivorce courts does signify that to-day’s woman is often not very clever at managing a home and husband. Perhaps that is why she pretends to be indifferent about taking the plunge into matrimony. If she does marry and fails at the job she can always say that she was being so modern and that that was just another, adventure. She is a bit of a coward in this respect—our brave' modern girl.