________________
998 )
જૈન કોન્ફરન્સ હેરલ્ડ.
We are filled with despair when we look at the present debased condition of our women in striking contrast to the elevated position they occupied in ancient India. Society may be compared to a living organism. Just as the want of:due development of each component part of a living body reacts on the rest, retards their growth, and affects the activity of the body as a whole, so too rational progress cannot be achieved if any limb of the social organism be week and clumsy. Women are rightly held to constitute half of the
body social”, and if this half become feeble or emaciated, society can never be said to have its full or proper development. It is true that all sections of the Indian people are more or less eager to follow the pat'ı of national advancewent, but barring a few laudable exceptions they are quite indifferent to the other half of society, having but a low appreciation of their powers and capabilities. They forget the past glories of their country and one of the chief causes that contributed to them; they forget the true siguificance uuderlying the noble precept of their forefathers -" ratcha पालनीया शिक्षनीयातियत्नतः"
Hundreds of instances might be cited from history to show the lofty patriotism and the noble activity with which woimen are actuated through the influence of proper education. In this age of national regeneration, when the various and divergent communities of this great land of ours are trying to advance towards a common goal, it is the duty of us all to remember that in the arduous task of nation-building, our women are to take the leading part, because the privilege is theirs by the immutable laws of nature which is beyond human power to control. To enable them to effectually carry out their share of the great work, they must be improved physically, mentally, and morally by a suitable course of training. Thus equipped, they will be better fitted to quicken the progress of true civilization and help to restore India to her lost manhood.
