THE MODERN GIRL

Hokitika Guardian, 19 October 1927, Page 1

THE MODERN GIRL

NEED l’()|{ EXAMPLES STHKSSED. AI’CKI-AXI). Oct. 17. The view that the girl of to-da.v is ill reality no worse than the girl of previous generations was expressed by Miss Jean Begg. secretary of the Young Women’s Christian Association, in an address in St. Andrew’s Church. The characteristics which were condemned in a. girl of to-day had been present, although possibly to a lesser extent, even in girls of the Victorian period, she said. 11 the girls of to-day were becoming too lax the fault was not altogether their own. Some measure of blame rested on the older generation, which should be an example to the younger. Between the ages of 10 and 30 the modern girl went through a period of confusion, .Miss Begg said. She was faced with such a variety of alternatives that confusion had to follow. The present age was the ago of precision hound by rules and regulations, but unfortunately there were no rules to tel' voting people how to behave. " Twenty-five years ago there was no confusion in a girl’s life,” said Miss Begg. "Her existence was ordered and simple. She was out ol touch with the world and had not the freedom of her modern descendant. She would have gone away for a week-end with bulging petticoats and leg of mutton sleeves. 'flic girl of to-day goes away in the. ■ clothes she wears and takes a one-piece bathing suit and an extra, pair of stockings. She is accused of a number of things, recklessness, love of excitement, a disregard of authority, but we older people must try to think how we felt at the same age. All the faults said to he peculiar to the modern girl have really been characteristics of each new generation. We are told that the girl of to-day is running wild. Wild animals taken into captivity are trained. The modern girl cannot he trained because her trainers themselves do not know what to do.” Miss Begg considered the training of the modern girl should be replaced hy the setting up of examples.