2 2o THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



of " ? Do you think any other influence would have been as pow- 

 erful in molding the lives of these young men ? 



It is very seldom, too, that young women can be kept in entire 

 ignorance of the workings of this undercurrent. Nowadays the 

 subject is much discussed ; bits of information are dropped here 

 and there by careless matrons ; the sickening accounts of the in- 

 fanticide of child-mothers (over the publication of the details of 

 which accounts the daily press seems to claim an unquestioned 

 prerogative) — all these things tend to depict, though in a frag- 

 mentary way, the workings of the other life. To assume, there- 

 fore, that our young women are ignorant of a state of things of 

 whose existence they are perfectly well aware, is to put them at 

 once upon the insecure basis of the dissembler. Is. this simulated 

 innocence of intrinsic value ? Does it not rather dwarf growth 

 and cripple usefulness ? Unless early accustomed to viewing 

 such matters from the truthful, helpful standpoint (and such 

 standpoint does exist), our young girls become bitter and unspar- 

 ing in judgment, sharers in that sweeping intolerance which half- 

 knowledge always breeds. 



Is there, I ask you in all fairness, any justice in exacting such 

 a false social state ? Here, as elsewhere, give our young women 

 a chance to work. Do not bring them home with education " fin- 

 ished" — thoroughly equipped mentally, partially equipped physi- 

 cally, but utterly denuded of that intelligent moral accoutre- 

 ment which is to make them well rounded in character, a power in 

 their little world. Apply the strength now devoted to shielding 

 their supposed ignorant innocence to the development of health- 

 ful views on a subject which must, sooner or later, confront every 

 thinking woman. Many contend, I know, that our young girls 

 are not strong enough to bear a comprehensive knowledge of this 

 subject ; that such knowledge, even though it may not rob them 

 of their pure conceptions, at least causes them to become depressed 

 and utterly cast down. But I think not, told with reverence, as 

 a whole. They must face this knowledge eventually. Is it any 

 less cruel to encourage the building up of disproportioned ideals 

 which must ultimately be chipped away, piece by piece ? 



Let us grant, for the moment, that the conditions of society 

 are now such that it is possible to keep young women completely 

 ignorant of the moral laxity all around them. Let us admit, for 

 the present, that it is possible for maturing persons to acquire 

 broader views on all other topics and still retain their childishness 

 of view in these matters. Do you think, therefore, that their 

 influence, as is frequently claimed, will be stronger over the men 

 with whom they come in contact ? Do you think their misin- 

 formed minds can frame wise or trenchant judgments worthy of 

 the respectful consideration of the men in their immediate circle ? 



