Rensselaer Republican, Volume 27, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 May 1895 — The American Girl’s Fault. [ARTICLE]

The American Girl’s Fault.

The American girl has learned to feel that in Edward W. Bok she has a strong champion. But Mr. Bok, although he is ever ready to advocate her cause, is not blind to her faults. He confesses that she has one glaring one at least, and of this he writes as follows in the Ladies’ Home Journal: “If one wishes to be candid, and really criticise the American girl, not for a score of fancied faults which are not hers, but for a fault which is peculiarly hers, it is that she fritters away a deal of time on many things, and does not give enough time to any one thing. One advantage which this fault has is that she can overcome it. And she should. She should learn the art of application. Whatever she starts out to do let her <Jo it well. If she wants to play let her learn to play, not Indifferently, but well. If her taste is for china-painting let her concentrate her mind to that, and learn to paint well. If she is fond of needlework let her train herself to be an expert of the needle. If her tendencies lead her to languages let her take up that tongue the study of which, attracts her most. But if she takes up French let her content herself with French, and not study French one day and German the next. Nor should she forget that to know the English language well is her first duty.”