The Use and Need of the Life of Carrie A. Nation [15]
oldest child and the servants all
gone, my mother sick, and the younger children going to
school, I had the house work, cooking and most of the washing to do. It
was a new experience for me, and it was twice as hard as it ought to have
been. I exposed my health; would slop up myself when I washed, and
almost ruined my health, because I had not been properly educated. Herein
was the curse of slavery. My father saw this, and I don't believe he
had a regret when the slaves were free. Mother, it matters not what else
you teach your daughters, if they have not an experience in doing the
work themselves about a home, they are sadly deficient. It is not the soft,
palefaced, painted, fashionable lady we want, for the world would be better
without her; but the woman capable of knowing how, and willing to take
a place in the home affairs of life. It is an ambition of mine to establish
a Preparatory College in Topeka, Kansas, where girls may be taught, as
women should be, that they in turn may teach others, how to wash, cook,
scrub, dress and talk, to counteract the idea that woman is a toy, pretty
doll, with no will power of her own, only a parrot, a parasite of a
man. To be womanly, means strength of character, virtue and a power
for good. Let your women be teachers of good things, says the Holy
Spirit.
The last school I attended was at Liberty, Missouri, taught by Mr.
and Mrs. Love. Only went there a year, but it was of untold value to me.
I was so eager to get an education. On account of ill health and the war,
I knew but little. I wanted a thorough education. I had read a good
many books, and would write sketches; kept a diary part of the time.
I will here relate an incident that will give my readers a little insight
into my impulses. At Liberty School we had a class in Smellie's Natural
Philosophy." There was an argument among the girls. Some said
animals had reasoning faculties. Others said not. Miss Jennie Johnson,
our teacher, said: "Have that for a question to debate on in your society."
So it was ordered. I was given the affirmative. The Friday came.
I was taken by surprise and was in confusion, when I saw the room
crowded. The two other societies of the Seminary, "The Mary Lyons"
and "Rising Star," also all the teachers, were present. Our Society was
the "Eunomian". I had made no preparations. When I was called I
know I looked ridiculously blank. The president tried to keep her face
straight. I got no farther than, "Miss President". All burst out in
uncontrollable laughter. I went to my seat put my face in my arms and
turned my back to the audience. I wept with tears of humiliation. I
felt disgraced. I thought of what a shame this would be to my parents.
How ever after this I must be considered a "Silly" by my schoolmates.
These things nerved me. I dried my tears, turned around in my seat,
looked up, and the moral force it required to do this was almost equal
to that which smashed a saloon. I arose and said: "Miss President, I
am ready to state my case." I began in this style: "I know animals
have the power to reason for my brothers cured a dog from sucking eggs
by having him take a hot one in his mouth, and it was the last egg we
ever knew him to pick up. Why? Because he remembered the hot one
and reasoned that he might get burned. Why is it that a horse will like
one person more than another? Because he is capable of reasoning and
knows who is the best to him." I went on in this homely style and spoke
with a vehemence which said: "I will make my point," which I did
amidst the cheers of the school. I was eighteen at this time and you
would say: "You must have been rather green." So I was in some
things.
I believe I have always failed in everything I undertook to do the
first time, but I learned only by experience, paid dearly for it, and valued
it afterwards. My failures have been my best teachers. I see no one
more awkward than I once was, but I had determined to conquer. My
defects were the great incentives to perseverance, when I felt I was right.
I
gone, my mother sick, and the younger children going to
school, I had the house work, cooking and most of the washing to do. It
was a new experience for me, and it was twice as hard as it ought to have
been. I exposed my health; would slop up myself when I washed, and
almost ruined my health, because I had not been properly educated. Herein
was the curse of slavery. My father saw this, and I don't believe he
had a regret when the slaves were free. Mother, it matters not what else
you teach your daughters, if they have not an experience in doing the
work themselves about a home, they are sadly deficient. It is not the soft,
palefaced, painted, fashionable lady we want, for the world would be better
without her; but the woman capable of knowing how, and willing to take
a place in the home affairs of life. It is an ambition of mine to establish
a Preparatory College in Topeka, Kansas, where girls may be taught, as
women should be, that they in turn may teach others, how to wash, cook,
scrub, dress and talk, to counteract the idea that woman is a toy, pretty
doll, with no will power of her own, only a parrot, a parasite of a
man. To be womanly, means strength of character, virtue and a power
for good. Let your women be teachers of good things, says the Holy
Spirit.
The last school I attended was at Liberty, Missouri, taught by Mr.
and Mrs. Love. Only went there a year, but it was of untold value to me.
I was so eager to get an education. On account of ill health and the war,
I knew but little. I wanted a thorough education. I had read a good
many books, and would write sketches; kept a diary part of the time.
I will here relate an incident that will give my readers a little insight
into my impulses. At Liberty School we had a class in Smellie's Natural
Philosophy." There was an argument among the girls. Some said
animals had reasoning faculties. Others said not. Miss Jennie Johnson,
our teacher, said: "Have that for a question to debate on in your society."
So it was ordered. I was given the affirmative. The Friday came.
I was taken by surprise and was in confusion, when I saw the room
crowded. The two other societies of the Seminary, "The Mary Lyons"
and "Rising Star," also all the teachers, were present. Our Society was
the "Eunomian". I had made no preparations. When I was called I
know I looked ridiculously blank. The president tried to keep her face
straight. I got no farther than, "Miss President". All burst out in
uncontrollable laughter. I went to my seat put my face in my arms and
turned my back to the audience. I wept with tears of humiliation. I
felt disgraced. I thought of what a shame this would be to my parents.
How ever after this I must be considered a "Silly" by my schoolmates.
These things nerved me. I dried my tears, turned around in my seat,
looked up, and the moral force it required to do this was almost equal
to that which smashed a saloon. I arose and said: "Miss President, I
am ready to state my case." I began in this style: "I know animals
have the power to reason for my brothers cured a dog from sucking eggs
by having him take a hot one in his mouth, and it was the last egg we
ever knew him to pick up. Why? Because he remembered the hot one
and reasoned that he might get burned. Why is it that a horse will like
one person more than another? Because he is capable of reasoning and
knows who is the best to him." I went on in this homely style and spoke
with a vehemence which said: "I will make my point," which I did
amidst the cheers of the school. I was eighteen at this time and you
would say: "You must have been rather green." So I was in some
things.
I believe I have always failed in everything I undertook to do the
first time, but I learned only by experience, paid dearly for it, and valued
it afterwards. My failures have been my best teachers. I see no one
more awkward than I once was, but I had determined to conquer. My
defects were the great incentives to perseverance, when I felt I was right.
I