THE MODERN GIRL.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 1 April 1926, Page 4

THE MODERN GIRL.

To the Editor of the “Timaru Herald.” Sir, —It seems to mo very .strange that your correspondents “To-day” and “Aiodcrn Girl” cannot see tilings as they really are, and not as they appear to their undeveloped minds, and, with your permission, I will try •and make things clear. Ho says I ought to blame tho parents. That is what I have been doing ail along. Did I not stress tho fact that the present day homes aro remiss in not placing proper control over both boys and girls. Ho also says the modern girl has many capabilities. So she has, but they aro all on wrong lines. They tend to take her away from tho ability to keep a home properly. Sho can wield a hockey stick, and do something with a football, and with some, she might bo inclined to use, them both on. the man (I think “Aiodcrn Girl” was inclined to that idea). He- says the modern woman’s house is clean and sanjtary. That proves that ho lias never seen tho homos of our great grandmothers, and it passes my understanding why these “moderns” set themselves up to criticise the past age. AVben- “To-day” confesses that lie has only history -and fiction to guido him—--1 have beon there and lived the liie. 1 find that feeding the young, and living a simple life is becoming a lost art, and that sunbathing and open windows won’t bring the stamina of old without good homes and clean feeding. Of course, they had faults —• tight-lacing was one; but 'that was caused when England prospered, so that the grand.dames ol : that date must go to France for their holidays, and came back and spread the evil practice, much the same as we are doing now, i.e., too much undress. . He also doubts tho stamina of our( great grandmothers, because they fainted. Here lie shows his ignoranco —it was considered “fashionable” to faint. . To be weak and effeminate ■was considered to be -an attribute- of a lady, but now we have gone to the other extreme —and they were only a small section of tho people—and for a woman to lose her femininity is the devil. Ho also finds fault with tlieiu ventilation of homes. For his information, let me state that if lie had to liv j under the same climate, lie would soon howl to get that window shut your breath turned to ice on youif blanket, your bedroom pitcher was frozen from top to bottom mid split ■ill half, and a solid block of ice to wash' - in," and a hatful of snow in your waslistaiid, coming''through the old illjiiting casement windows. AVe did not want any more ventilation. That was enough and the “stuffy \ ietoruin ago” ho calls it—let him look around and see what it did—bred large and healthy families, without trouble or fuss, colonised half the world. All this was done by mothers who were ■ satisfied to mind their own business, ; whose chief pleasures were a wellstocked and well-conducted heme. aIKI small parties to their “real mends. , And I stand to it, that there was no ; happier woman on earth, even though ; they acknowledged fealty to man. How can you call this'a healthy age. AVo are loaded with doctors and nurses, and hospitals. Our papers are full of nothing but crying out lor ■ health. I saw nothing of this in-my vouu££ days. Doctors had haul*.} anything to do but attend to childbirths, and some old chronics. It youi readers * would ' only read mo rightly, they would see I have no complaint against the young Now Zealander. The whole blame rests on man lor, parting with’ his birthright, giving wnj to false humanity. Ho thinks lie is acting with justice, whereas he is ruining'his own home and the family life. There is far too much separation , -and' “grass widows.” and its a solid fact that women who go into business,, ruin themselves as mothers, and drive cur best young men out ot tins country. I hope tins letter is not -too long, and that it will seo tho light, and wake up the sleepy male. ; —I am, etc., “EXPERIENCE.” ; March 27, 1926. ■