THE INCREASE OF DIVORCE 213 



women to know each other, will lead them to make wiser selections of 

 their life mates. 



Of the various agencies aflFording opportunities for young people to 

 become acquainted, the pubhc educational system is the most important. 

 Of this system the high school is the greatest factor. It is to be regretted 

 that so many of the boys do not remain in the high school to complete 

 the course. It is hoped that the insertion into the curriculum of indus- 

 trial studies, studies that will prove immediately useful in earning a 

 Hving, will in the future tend to attract the boys and yoimg men to 

 these courses and incidentally enlarge their acquaintance with young 

 women. It is perhaps tliis feature that constitutes one of the chief 

 advantages in coeducation. 



The pubUc school does not exist solely for the purpose of teaching 

 certain subjects. It is a great democratic institution and the enlarge- 

 ment of acquaintance among the young men and women is one of its 

 great services. The social feature of education creates a larger field 

 from which to select the future husband or wife and thus makes for the 

 stabihty of the family. Ruskin said a man should know a woman seven 

 years before he married her and our system of education makes this 

 almost possible. 



Second, obstacles to the employment of women in commerce and 

 industry should be removed. Women go into industry to become in 

 some degree independent and also for the sake of the social opportunities 

 that come to them while employed in this field. Therefore, everything 

 that tends to reduce their wages, or make less inviting the conditions 

 under which they work may lead young women to marry recklessly in the 

 hope of getting a home. If, as seems to be the tendency, non-support is 

 to be dropped from the Hst of causes for which divorce may be granted, 

 improvement in the conditions of woman's labor is highly important.'^ 

 Higher wages and the restriction of child labor are therefore greatly to 

 be desired. 



Third, some improvement should be made in the law under which 

 divorces are granted. There has been much agitation for a uniform law 



' Report of Ninth National Conference of State Boards of Commissioners for Promoting Uniformity of 

 Legislation in the United Slates, August, 1899, p. 73. 



