atmosphere in which the family lives. But knowing something of that
mother, I knew she discussed with her daughter, dress and parties, her
future at college, her music, her marks, and laid wisely and well her
plans for the forming of friendships which she considered "an
advantage." In her presence she criticized friends and neighbors and
related bits of gossip. Occasionally she scolded her for faults that
happened at the moment to annoy. Her father talked boastfully of his
successes and ambitions, criticized the men for whom he did business,
found fault with those whom he employed, occasionally talked of
politics in a vain attempt to interest his wife and daughter. There were
few books in the home. The newspapers and one or more popular magazines
represented the only reading of the family. The daughter played a
little, sang a little, sewed a very little and studied as much as she
must to insure the certificate for entrance to college. But she attended
matinees, dancing parties in large numbers, and belonged to a whist
club. A whist club, poor girl, at sixteen! Her parents were blind and
deaf to the fact that in their daughter's life there was nothing, save
now and then a desperate attempt on the part of an earnest high school
teacher, or a word from a teacher who occasionally found her in the
Sunday-school class, which might inspire her soul with high ideals,
pure, noble thoughts expressed in action which makes life sweeter. Of
nature's beauties, of her countless miracles, of the dramatic acts of
current history, of the lives and needs of other girls she knew almost
nothing. In her pitiful little world she lived, her best self dying for
want of pure air with the oxygen of power in it.

Can she find in the social life and amusements of the day the
inspiration needed to fill her soul with life that it may develop as her
normal healthy body develops? No, the girls of our country do not find
our social life a help to the higher expression of self. Only here and