The position of woman: actual and ideal / with preface by Sir Oliver Lodge.

Date:
1911
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: The position of woman: actual and ideal / with preface by Sir Oliver Lodge. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    180/192 (page 164)
    selves to the care of their families. This may be partially secured by a system of insurance. The Minority Report of the Poor Law Commission would effect it, in extreme cases, by direct sub- sidies. I cannot here do more than point to the grave importance of the question. I can only briefly allude to one occupation for women with regard to which no controversy can arise. That is the philanthropic work on which Miss Pearson spoke, and for which there is such a great and increasing demand. This work may be undertaken, either as a substantial and paid occu- pation, or it may be an additional and gratuitous occupation for leisure time. Whatever scheme of Poor Law reform be adopted, there is certain to be a large opening for the professional and for the voluntary services of women. This may serve to some extent to relieve the threatened congestion in the teaching profession. In this connexion I should like to support Miss Pearson’s plea for more deliberate andsystematic training for social service. We do not trust our spiritual diseases or our bodily diseases to amateurs, and it is quite as preposterous to expect amateur effort to cure our social diseases. If there is to be any practical outcome of these conferences, I should like it to take the form of an effort to organize in Edin- burgh some machinery for the education in social economics of both men and women who are wil- ling to give time and energy to the service of the community.