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    838 INTERFERENCE.

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  • Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

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    B W11 Two .A.T \H Or Interference Throe ...

    lady visitor may "be interpreted as " interference , " where there is a desire to do so on the part of those who have the ear of the

    guardians , and in such cases the other side of the question is probably never heard at all .

    There cannot be a doubt on the minds of unprejudiced persons of the absolute necessity for the influence and supervision of

    welleduGated women , not only in all schools , but more especially in those which are intended for pauper children who have no homes . Of all

    others , these are the schools where some softening " , sympathising , and voluntary influence is the most needed , and yet it has never

    been introduced . The matron of such a school , containing many hundreds of children , separated entirely from their relations and

    friends , was lately expressing the desire she had felt for years , for the advice and co-operation of ladies , and it was gratifying to find

    how thoroughly of her own accord she gave expression to the views we have been explaining . She said how many points there were

    on which she could confer with ladies , not only as to the management of the children , but of the servants and household . With regard

    to the servants , it was a grave matter to bring a formal complaint before " the board" and she always felt unwilling to do so , yet

    there was often some , little occurrence which it would be desirable to mention , and on which a lady would greatly strengthen and enforce

    her authority , for though ( apparently ) a good manager and conscientious womanshe was by no . means an educated person , or

    possessed of much , judgment . Then again with regard to the usages of the household and domestic matters in the kitchen , how could

    gentlemen be expected to know about quantities and qualities so well as those who were their own housekeepers ? She very justly

    remarked , Who would think of troubling * their husbands about such matters at home ? And then as to the girls especially , how much

    there was to arrange and consult about concerning them which could be much more fitldone bladies ( and of whichshe herself

    said , she did not like to y speak to y the gentlemen , ) both , as to their dress , the best age for their going out to service , needlework , etc .

    In short , so obvious does all this seem to every unprejudiced mind , that it would appear to be almost useless to be thus stating it in

    words , did we not know that even these simple and self-evident truths are disputed whenever it is attempted to bring them into

    practice , and , as it is said , " introduce a novelty . " In such a case as we have described , where the matron earnestly desired the

    assistance of ladies , we have no doubt that the proposal would be . disliked by her husband , or the superintendent , and probably rejected

    altogether by the " board , " In another case the matron herself would most probably resent anythin' like the help or interference of

    ladies , _thoug-h one would think that g the absolute folly of grave and elderly men superintending and deciding upon the outfit of girls

    , and the quality of their garments , would have struck every one not

    posjse _/ _ssed by a preconceived idea . In the present state of affairs

    838 Interference.

    838 INTERFERENCE .

• Citation
  • English Woman’s Journal (1858-1864), July 1, 1860, page 338, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/ewj/issues/ewj_01071860/page/50/