COLONIAL TRAINING FOR EDUCATED WOMEN. [To THE EDITOR OF THE
" SPECTATOR."] Srn,—Yon have lately published a letter signed by H.R.H. Princess Christian and other ladies calling attention to the desirability of making known among educated women the good openings which exist for them in the Colonies. I think, therefore, that you will perhaps allow me to appeal in your columns for an institution which has for some years been training ladies in one branch of women's work and sending them to various parts of the Empire.
The Colonial Training College at Stoke Prior, Worcester- shire, was established for the purpose of training educated women in all branches of domestic work, and fitting them to take charge of their husbands' or brothers' homes in the Colonies, or to earn their own living as home helps. This training is of course only a preparation for one branch of women's work, and that by no means the only one, which a woman can successfully follow in the Colonies. But I venture to think that for the average woman it is by far the most valuable,—first, because the domestic profession is the only one which offers immediate and certain employment at a good salary to any woman of average capability ; and secondly, because it is the training which best fits her to take her place eventually as the mistress of her own home. For although the first object of those who advocate emigration for women is to send them to a country where their work is needed and valued and well paid, the ultimate aim is to secure for them a greater probability of marriage than life at home affords them.
The training given at the College is extremely practical. The girls themselves do all the work. There are no servants to fall back upon to do the hard or disagreeable parts. They learn to cook, bake, wash, take charge of a small dairy, and to look after poultry. They do all this in an ordinary large farmhouse, without any modern appliances. The students are usually the daughters of officers, or clergymen, or pro- fessional men ; and speaking generally, they have in them the making of ideal Colonists. Applications are frequently received from Colonial employers, because, as a lady wrote recently, "the girls you train are not afraid of work, and can turn their hands to anything." That this is true letters from the girls testify. They speak of every kind of work under- taken, from beating out prairie fires and loading waggons or hay in an emergency to doing the whole work of a house, with possibly the care of several children included.
Since the beginning of the year the College has been full; and letters come daily inquiring about the training, and asking for information as to openings in the Colonies. Its usefulness has never been greater than at the present time, when people generally are awakening to the fact that in the emigration of women, especially educated women, lies the solution of many difficult problems at home. The fees charged are very low; but in spite of this they often have to be reduced, or the training refused to some girl to whom it would be especially valuable. For this reason it can never be quite self-supporting, and at this moment funds are much needed.
The success of the students who have already gone to the Colonies (and above four hundred of them are to be found in larious parts of the Empire) has been remarkable. And it is the certainty that the College has been the means of helping many girls who were leading useless and unsatisfied lives at home to become useful, happy women which emboldens the Committee to appeal for a little help to keep it going.—I am, Sir, &c., A. L. VERNON. P.S.—Any contributions will be very gratefully received by Miss Vernon, Hanbury Hall, Droitwich.
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