OUR BABIES.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 530, 4 January 1913, Page 3

OUR BABIES.

1, (By Hygera). Published under the auspices of the Society tor the Health -of Women and Children." > "It'is wiser to put up a fence at the top of a-precipice than to maintain air ambulance at the bottom." ,

TRAINING OP GIRLS. <■

To cultivate accomplishments is a very'excellent thing, be it either in the direction of music or art; but how few succeed-' to the extent of applying their 'knowledge to the earning of a penny or even to the entertainment and pleasure of their own family? Better by far teach the plain things first, and get, our girls to understand thut the simple duties are the great things of life. The domesi tie task, the household courtesies, the daily opportunity for useful service that home life affords,-are the great accomplishments, and ars the part of education that should be maae compulsory for every girl. Do not be afraid that in teaching your girl to do plain sewing, to iron and get up fine linen, or bake a pie, you are limiting ber mutual horizon. You would be doing bo if you kept her at the piano when she has no aptitude for music, while you do the housesold duties. Let us teach cur girls that in do mestic life the only way to do a thing is to do it, and that there is a digniiy in all labour, more especially in domestic work. We are apt to think that when the occasion arises a woman intuitively becomes competent in household management. But ho* many of us understand the care of an infant, the proper values of every day aricless of diet. and the omourt required for the maintenance of health in the child, the adult, and old Bge? How much mischief is caused by over-feeding, bad feeding, and wasteful feeding, even among the poorest? How many understand the absolute necessity of pure air, and how health and rigour depend on the observance of physiological laws. It requires no more than ordinary intelligence and a moderate education to readily acquire an amount of knowledge in these matters that will be of greatest service in everyday life, and surely it is more in accord with common sense to train eirls for domestic duties, for which Nature has destined her than to waste time in acquiring a smattering of subjects that are likely to prove of little or no use.

A most pernicious impression seems to be abroad that the girl who earns her living in a factory, office, or shop is the social superipr of the girl in domescie service! My experience teaches me that it is often the reverse, and that the finest womanly qualities are often fonud in the girl whose sphere of work N is that of a domestic servant. In the various institutions which provides homes for our girlß this wrong impession prevails, for, immediately it becomes known that a girl is seeking to secure a situ ation aq a domestic, she is shunned or tabooed by many of the other girls who have positions in shops, schools, etc. ...

Another point I should like to emphasise more strongly is the tendency ' among many girls who earn their liv- | ing to disregard home duties altogether. They seem to think that be- ' cause they spend the day in factory or office, home has no claim whatever on thei- service. Let me here illustrate what I mean by relating an incident that came under the notice of a medical friend in Auckland. He called one evening to see the mother of a family just as the evening meal was over. She was recovering from a long illness, and was making her first appearance in the dining room. The doctor noticed how weary she looked, and suggested she should return to bed. "Ob, doctor! I can't do that cntil I have washed up the tea things." "But." said the doetor, "you have tbrea daughters; surely they will do this 4ot you." "No, doctor; I cannot expect that; they, are away at work all day, and always spend their evenings out—in fact, they have already gone." Such heartless conduct on the/ part of strong, healthy daughters towards a delicate mother is almost inconceivable; and I hope, for the credit of our womanhood, that such cases are few and far between. It serves, however, to bring'hom9 the sad defect in early training which allows young people to grow,upv»ith'no better object in life than self-enjoyment. Please do not for one moment sup pose that I wish to disparage girls who follow vocations other than domestic. I am quite aware of the large number who do not possess the physical strength necessary for housework, and others who have chosen duties more congenial to their tastes. Still, the fact remains that every girl would be better for her life's work by early acquiring a knowlege of housekeeping, , , I would here like to quote from an address delivered at the-annoai meeting of the Society, of Women and Childreu at Dunedin by Dr' F. C. Batcbelor, Professor of Diseases of Women at Otago University--"Does our system of education encourage girls to enter domestic v service? I confidently assert that the girl employed in domestic duties in a good home, with a good mistress is happier, better off, leads a more wholesome a«d healthier life, will make a better-Wife and mother, and is more likely to rear a healthy stock than her sister whose aims, possibly, have been more ambitious. That my views are shared by "the majority of mankind is shown by the fact that the competent domestic usually promptly changes the scene of her labour for an establishment of her own, while the scholarship girl with the D certificate will probably fane raanj years of teaching in a backbluck school. When it is seriously suggested that the solution of ear diffleujty ie to be met by the iotrudpellon of a number of aliens to moot four requirements, it seems ,|fj M \-jMT$ s forlorn to P«'-J^v-^M|S|^i^

lis -well to arrive at the causes. Two, |at any rate, suggest themselves to 1 me. First, the tendency to educate > our cirla on the wrong lines and, se- ! cniidly, the absurd and stupid stigma ' shnbtsi invariably attached to domesI tic service. With ths advance in our i educalioal methods it need be no mat* ' ter for surprise that the jjreat ma- ! jority of young women refuse to enter ! domestic service; they are mostly un- ! prepared for it in - any way, and ' have to learn afresh in an entirely ; new branch; and. furthher, what-pro-I bably is the moat' powerful deterent, i have to accept a lower social status. Many girls go through an exceeding* iy arduous training - in the most I menial and disagreeable duties to become nurses—not from any special aptitude or vocation for nursing tba sick, but because they consider the social status of nurse is better than that of cook. Is it altogether impracticable for our State schools and our University, to devise'a scheme whereby domestic- management might he systematically taught, and diplomas granted guaranteeing a certain standard of efficiency and ensuring the possessor an improved status? One thing, is certain, the majority of young girls who pass through our State schools will not accept the position accorded to the domestic ja the past, and this seriously menaces the home life to which civilised communities have mostly adapted themselves. Concessions of a radical character must be made to meet our present changed conditions." A word in season may here be spoken to mistresses, for much may be done on our part to promote a better understanding between ourselves and cur maidß. Rusk in says: "If your servants ars to be held your inferiors, at least be sure they are bo, and that you are indeed wiser and better tempered and more useful than they. Ther« is only one way to have good servants—that is, to be worthy of being well served." I must now devote a few moments to the home training as it affects boys. who. I am afraid, are too often spoilt nowadays. Much of this is due to over-attention of mother and sisters who frequently wait upon them hand and foot, yielding so much to them that boys begin to believe that girls ard women were made to give way to their wishes and comforts. Here begins the lack of respect so common nowadays of men towards women. One has only to ride on tramcars at rush times to be convinced that the chivalrous fueling which treats all women with deference and respect is dying, if not already dead. The rudeness and unnecessary jostling of women and children by the men is utterly inexcusable, and makes one wonder if manhood as well as imtnners is deteriorating. A gentleman friend of mine who in the Buburbs, and has grownup sons, has, forbidden them to board crowded cars, telling them to .walk; home rather than become . bruialisf.d .by euch unseemly be haviour. *