Why Women Should Read

    

Over the past few years in trying to understand my role as a single young woman, and God willing a future wife and mother, I have read many popular books that seem to encourage girls to put scholarly ambition aside and focus on a domestic role.  I believe this to be true- although the authors of these books would probably disagree- because of what I read on some blogs. 

     For example, I recently read a post that recommended a reading list for girls.  The list included books on feminity, child-rearing, waiting for a husband, domestic skills and general Biblical instruction.  While these are valuable, nowhere did the author encourage girls to study deep subjects or push past the fluffy literary junk food.  I thought this was very sad, not only because of what wonderful books those girls will miss out on, but also because of the children those girls will rear. 

      James Madison stated

“Knowledge will forever govern ignorance, and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives.”

     When we aren’t well educated and when we rely on others to do our thinking for us, we are easy targets to have our freedoms taken from us or to be controlled.  The current state of our government illustrates this perfectly.

     I am sure that I am not the only who can see that our country is in trouble.  Unlike most people, I don’t believe that we can change the country by who we vote for.  The change must come from within.  One aspect of this is education.

     Our country desperately needs a generation of men like our Founding Fathers.  Their method and philosophy of education promoted Biblical thinking and equipped them to fight for the principles they believe in.  They were men of convection and integrity. 

     As a woman, how would you cultivate this type of a man if you are not well educated yourself?  Children learn from the example that is set before them; and as the primary educator in a home school setting, a woman should posses the skills she is trying to instill in her young men.  Therefore boys and girls should receive an equally rigorous book education. 

     So along with your cookbook and vacuum cleaner, pick up something that will make you think… like Shakespeare or Augustine.  Later generations will thank you!