322 BIOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF HUMAN PROBLEMS 



The possibility of women entering upon serious 

 callings is now no longer a matter of dispute, but in 

 the case of every intellectually ambitious married 

 woman, the question comes up, How far am I justi- 

 fied in leading an independent life, with interests 

 not directly related to husband and children ? 

 There can be no doubt that society would be the 

 gainer if more women could have active and inde- 

 pendent artistic, literary, scientific, or humanitarian 

 interests, and it is also quite clear that thousands of 

 women who now dissipate their energies in time rob- 

 ing and meaningless frivolities could find the time 

 necessary to accomplish something worthy in one of 

 these directions. This is in no wise in opposition to 

 the obvious truth that for most women the most 

 productive activities are those that have to do with 

 the making of a home. But where there is a will 

 there is a way, and really gifted and spirited women 

 are wholly justified in struggling to find an outlet for 

 their powers, if they have confidence in them, for 

 in this way society in general may become a great 

 gainer. Not only does such a course not involve 

 neglect of parental duties, but it may have a dis- 

 tinctly beneficial effect in the family, both by setting 

 an example of earnest effort and by widening the 

 experience of the mother. But where the interests 

 of the home and the outside interests are in opposition, 

 right feeling will naturally tend to make the mother 

 give up the latter for her family, unless, indeed, they 

 have acquired great public importance. 



