In a general way, economic independence, that is, the earning of her own living by a girl for several years before marriage, tends to increase her knowledge of the value of money and to make her a better financial manager.  Probably this same independence makes a girl slightly less anxious to marry, especially since in most cases she has hitherto been expected to give up her personal income in exchange for an extremely uncertain system of sharing what the husband earns.  Independence of any sort is reluctantly laid aside by those who have possessed it.  This very reluctance on the part of girls ought to be a force in the direction of economic independence of wives, a most desirable and necessary condition for society to bring about.  Gainful occupation has then much to recommend it and little to be said against it as part of the training for matrimony.

Certain occupations, however, are so essentially favorable to the girl’s homemaking ability and to her probable inclination to make a home of her own that we do not hesitate to recommend them as the best directions for girls’ vocational work to take, other things being equal. We have already said that the girl distinctly not home-minded is more safely left to her own inclinations.  She would not be a success as a homemaker under any circumstances.  Other girls may be made or marred by the years which intervene between their school and home life.

[Illustration:  Copyright by Underwood & Underwood The value of domestic work of any sort as a preparation for homemaking is generally admitted without argument.]

The value of domestic work of any sort as a preparation for homemaking is generally admitted without argument.  Closely in touch with a home throughout her maturing years, the girl may undertake her own housekeeping problems with ease and efficiency.  Conditions as they often exist, however, especially for the younger and untrained domestic worker, do not allow the girl to obtain other experience quite as necessary if she is to become not merely a housekeeper but a true homemaker.  The untrained girl who enters upon domestic work at fourteen or fifteen should have opportunity—­indeed the opportunity should be thrust upon her—­of attending a continuation school, where the special aim should be to counteract the narrowing tendency of work which revolves about so small an orbit.  Ideals of home life are either lacking or distorted in the minds of many working girls, and when such girls become wives and mothers they strive for the wrong things or they fall back without striving at all, taking merely what comes.  They fail to be forces for good in their family life.

[Illustration:  Demonstration by teacher in domestic science.  Teaching affords excellent preparation for the prospective homemaker.]