Page:The Moslem World Vol XI.djvu/147

Rh After finding their voice and power in this way, dozens of women's political societies controlled by a central organization came into existence, also an inquiry bureau and a woman's newspaper called Blossom.

The old type of girls' schools is now considered worse than useless, many government schools for girls have been opened; the Bahais also have girls' schools. English and American missionary societies have about twenty schools, some of them most excellent, for Parsis, Jews, Armenians, and Persians. It is to these we look for the development of public opinion and strong moral character and Christian teaching, but they need to be multiplied a hundred times.

The tragedy of child marriage can best be averted by education. A boy who was at an English school in Isfahan asked his headmaster to see his father and to persuade him not to give his little daughter of seven to be married. How did that boy come to see the evil? A visitor to the American school in Teheran said, "I wish my wife had been educated," adding, "I want my daughter to take her diploma, and then give her life to educational work among the women of Persia." Two upper class girls are hoping to come to England this year to take up educational and medical training, with a view to helping their countrywomen.

Early in 1917 a branch of the Mothers' Union was commenced among Persian Christian women in Isfahan. A friendly educated woman was asked to speak at some of their meetings and asked if something of the same kind could be arranged for upper class Moslem women. There were considerable difficulties in the way, but at the first meeting about forty were present, including the Deputy Governor's wife, and other leading Persian women, also several English women. Three of the latter spoke, and suggested united work for the uplift of Persia. The position of Persian women was contrasted with that of those in the West; stress was laid on what the power and influence of women might and ought to be in their