WOMAN.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 31 May 1913, Page 2

WOMAN.

What Levin People Think About Her.

IJIiING PIIOPERLY EDUCATED

Whether the present system <1 education for women is on sound lines was the subject for last evening's debate of the Levin Deflating Society. The aflirmative was taken by -Mr •). Robertson, M.l\. and the Rev. A. C.j.Randerson spoke in the negative. Mr 11. '11. Cork took the cluur. Mr Robertson said it was not to be assumed that in advocating the soundness of the present system •)! education he did not wish it to to thought that he contended that the present system was perfect. "Whit he did contend was that the present system of education, with a little dfi'erontiation between the sexes, was one that would tend to improvement and benefit all round. Jt was an unwarranted re .-sumption that the present system should be altered to make it totally different lor women from what it should be for men. These opinions were expressed by men; it semed to him that some men thought women belonged to an entirely different species; whereas actually she was half a man; man was wholly masculine and woman was hall' masculine. biologically. In present times woman had to be educated : the day had gone by when her activities could be kept for her home: woman to-d<ay had to play hei part as a citizen of society. Besides. the home 10-day was an entirely different place from what il was (say) 100 years ago. Woman now needed higher education, and the woman who wa- versed in botany and biology and physiology would make the better mother. There was a trace of hypocrisy about the clamour for more education in regard to domestic -eience. What was the sense in talking .about it in .such high terms, and paying for such work a maximum of CI per week!' There were avenues of usefulness for women other than domesticity : woman as a whole could pass her life better than by sacrificing her strength to a kitchen board and burning her beauty on a kitchen raug<'. If women were educated 'ind given a higher sphere of work than she had at the present time she would he a better mother and would help to raise the standard of the I race.

Mr .TCanderson contended that jus! •is the nature of man was very different from that of women, the work ■>f women nocessirilv was different 11 so. lie contended that the present system of education was not making woman fi! for her duiv as mother. Investigations made late!;, in (llasgow had shown that a 'big nroport ion of children in the schools there were not fit in health and eii"i'gy : and this w::., not dm.' to poverty. but to the mothers not knowing about proper nursing and oi lood values. The lack of proper education amongst women was to a large extent responsib! • for the lack ol •ontrof that cliil • r<-n suffered fin.i to-dav. Me admitted that the rae,i

were blamable in this regard too. but the mothers' influences for good or ill always was the greater. Th"

present system of education had i.eeii well epitomised by Yriss Kraser. of Wanganui (a lady educational expert). as developing a lot of mind, very little of hodv. something of soul, iind taking no notice at all of the difference between men and women in nature. Mr Randcrson was in agreement with Fraser in the further eniitonti n (hat the present system of oduci.'ioii made women discontented acu'ely discontented - with domestic activity. Women should lie trained on different lines from man. The present system made for cheap labour and shut men ■nit of employment, and fostered conditions thai created a race of weaklings and incompetents, and hastened the time when our race would go down before some race more virile.

.Mrs 11. B. France agreed that then- were delects among the mothers of to-day, lint she asked whether anyone would contend that an ignorant woman would be bettor able to tend her babe than an educated woman would. Another point that had been made was that our industrial schools had been crowded with the children of incoinpeleiit mothers, but that was not a reflection on the present system of education ; it was .a reflection on the previous system, surely? Mrs Sanderson thought the best system of education lay hnlf-wa.v 'between the two systems they had heard advocated that night. She thought the present system of education brightened woman's brain, made her logical, and developed lief common sense, And when a woman was educated to think properlv she was able to apply that to any position she might take in the world. Tier mind was well trained under the present system, and she developed common sense and eoilld apply that to whatever difficulties arose in any sphere she might roach.

Mrs 0. K. Wilson thought it was nothing at Jill to do with woman that her sphere had been changed ; once ■she was the brewer and the baker and the sewing mistress, hut she had boon thrown out of that without being consulted. Machinery had come along and cut that work away li'om her. All that was; left of domestic work now was the drudgery: it was no wonder the average woina. detested the polishing of alreadypolished floors; the cleaning of curtains already clean enough, and the carrying out of other chores not really necessary. Work was desirable, but it would be better to

have work that was interesting and - useful.

Mr Cork contended that-it was a mistake to lorce girls along at school in lines of education that would end in them being made physical wrecks alt t■ r they bad got through the exacting university course. l'ut who was to dcc:dc these matters':' It s ■■enied to liini that it was a matter for the young women themselves. It would he very hard for a State to (inane* 1 a system of two sets ol' scheol teachers. Mr ('. K. Wilson said that to his mind there was no education we could give to man that should not he given to women. She had proved herself cajialde of Idling any position tint man could. If we could educate our women to lake positions that men were now occupying, and thus set the men free to do useful work on the land, we would do an excellent work indeed. He denlered ilie attempt, to belittle woman's power. There were physical wrecks ;:f educated men as well as eiho-aieil women, but, were we to do away with higher education because •if thai? It was our duty to educite women sis highly as possible. The respective loaders having replied. a vide was taken as to which side had made out the better c.-.so. i• id put its arguments in the better style. It was decided thai; Mr l?obTt>nn's side had prevailed.