AMERICAN GIRLS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 2581, 26 January 1889, Page 2 (Supplement)

AMERICAN GIRLS.

TllK American girl, in a great degree, owes Ibo.jo qualities wherein sue is superior to tho English girl to the free public school or college, when her parents can send her there. Most of the Misses Johnathan who have been able to "fetch Princes " to the London parties to which they were invited, went to public schools, and did not Jinish at Vassal'or kindred seats of learning. The different girls from over the Atlantic who have eclipsed the young ladyhood of .\l»yf:iir arc of tho the class wl.mh i\meri<Miw say are in "no sort of society at What is be:! ill the American public tree, school for jjirls is the schoolmist: c:S. She is nearly always a woman of capacity—cool, collected, quietly re-olutc, very well up in what she li.tr- to teach, and an adept, in the art of expressing herself to good purpose in words. Tho pupils in many respects catch her manner. They imitate its undemonstrative firmness and composure. An important part of American education in free schools consists in tho pupils making oral precis of their tasks and amplifying orally themes given them. This drills tongue and mind, and gives self-possession. At the free school one girl is as good as another. It may be that there are heartburnings among the plainly dressed pupils when they are near girls dressed in silk and wearing jewelled brooches. But, apart from that, tho daughter of tho district attorney is no better than tho child of a mechanic. Mutual respect is learned along with self respect. Mrs Cleveland, who so brilliantly wielded tho sceptre of fashion at the White House, went to a common free school at St. Paul's, Minnesota. Tho children of the riff-raH'of Europe, who havo emigrated to tho United States go to tho pubiic free schools and euase at them to be rilf-rallish. American girls are soon through the common school and out in tho world, in which they learn younir the science of life, self-relianco, aud not to bo pedantic. I don't admire the Miss Jonathan whose whole soul is fixed on getting herself talked of in connection with fomo heir-apparent, or on becoming a Peeress. But her success is greatly duo to strength of purpose, which when 'it runs in a good direction, is to bo admired. The C»untc»s of Waldersec is Countess Walderseo and Princess Nocr, and possessor of the fortune of J'riuce Frederick of liolstein, because she was snubbed at a private school by Knickerbocker girls. She went to Europe full of resentment, and with her mind made up to seek and conquer a position which would enable her to look down on th/m in her turn. If she had not hart the feeling that the Knickerbocker young Indies bad 110 natural right to look down upon her, do you think she would have had the will or tho enterprise to fly at old Prince Frederick, and to bring him down ?— Truth.