The habits and character established in girlhood are those which will be maintained in womanhood. It is essential, therefore, to teach virtue and wisdom to girls from a young age so they can grow into godly wives and mothers. Personal Help for Girls is designed to aid parents in this process, encouraging girls in both spiritual and domestic pursuits.
A series of 20 chapters to be read by girls themselves offer practical knowledge and insights on everything from the importance of manners to keeping a healthy diet to being submissive to one's father. At the end of each chapter are discussion questions, Bible passages to read and activities for putting into practice what has been learned.
There is an emphasis on learning from older women—but not just any women. It's not enough that a woman is older, to warrant imitation she must be godly and virtuous. Girls are encouraged to observe their mothers, grandmothers, aunts and other women in the Christian community, and to model their own behavior on these good examples. Author A.B. Leaver stresses the need for gentleness, a sweet spirit, a cheerful disposition, etc., as outer manifestations of true beauty.
She doesn't ignore the importance of more physical concerns, either. Young ladies are to dress modestly, practice rigorous personal hygiene, and eat healthy and regular meals. The chapter on food contains statements many will hold exception to—for instance, she argues that food should be eaten solely for health and not for pleasure, and that tea and coffee have been "proven to be very bad for us."
Leaver provides a list of recommended resources in the back of the volume, organized by topic, to help girls build on the foundational knowledge she offers. Some of the titles are out of print, but for those still available she offers publisher contact information to help procure them. These resources cover everything from money management to parenting to reading instruction.
Overall, this is a comprehensive guide to piety, domestic skill and general personal care for girls. The author tends to make extreme statements and exhibits a very conservative stance on issues we consider to warrant a more moderate approach. Also, the often disjointed and sometimes even grammatically incorrect style makes reading each chapter something of a chore. There is plenty of good here, however, and Personal Help for Girls could be a good jumping-off place for training your daughters in virtue and good character.
Sample Lesson
(Bible studies are included at the end of each chapter!)
Old Cover (same edition):
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