LETTER FROM A NORTHERN LADY
Crowley Signal September 1, 1888
News Article from Adadia Parish
Submitted by Winston Boudreaux, 2006

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LETTER FROM A NORTHERN LADY
Crowley Signal September 1, 1888

This is an editorial sent to the Editor of the newspaper.  The lady writes 
about the lack of rights of women but mostly an opinion of the superiority 
of the people of the North and inferiority of blacks, southerners, Cajuns, 
Education. 

PRAIRIE MAMMOUTH August 31, 1888

Mr. Editor: during the past three or four years much has been said and written 
concerning this land of the “Sunny South”, but so far, I believe the men have 
monopolized the subject. “Why is thus, I do not pretend to know, fur surely 
the men here who are interested settling here and trying to develop the 
resources of the country must have wives, daughters and sisters who are 
interested in whatever they are doing.

Among the natives of this section, the woman’s lot is a hard one, and even in 
the circle where we find the refinement and culture of the South, the woman 
holds a very limited share of the rights and privileges accorded her elsewhere 
in these United States. It is the hope of enlisting the energetic women in the 
North a few lines for publication in your paper. I have been informed that the 
principal drawback at present to the emigration of the Northern settlers south 
was the aversion of the women to coming here. Of course reports at that time, 
I can have nothing to say, but it does not follow as a matter of course, that we 
find affairs in the same condition at this time as existed twenty years ago. So 
far as the Southern people at large are concerned, among the educated, 
thinking men (and I will say women, too) we find a cordial welcome extended 
to any and all who come here to settle among them. The feel the need of some 
outside stimulus, and seem to appreciate Northern energy and push as well as 
Northern capital. The other element of Southern society, the Acadians, we 
have found a very inoffensive, simple and rather timid people. They need 
much civilizing and Christianizing. Ignorant to an extend (extent) almost 
incomprehensible to a person from the section of free public schools, they are 
fully a century behind the times, and it will require years of patient toil and 
continued intercourse,  to awaken them to the realization of their condition, 
and the benefits to be derived from an education and more industrious habits.  
They are very conservative and cling to their old customs, especially the older 
people. The younger ones, women in particular can see the superiority of a 
modern cook stove over their mud fireplaces and wherever they can do so, are 
using stoves in their kitchens.

The negroes are here of course, but in our section of the State we see but few 
of them and do not come in contact with them at all, any more than we did in 
Iowa. They do not care to mingle with the whites on terms of equality, but are 
more earnest and energetic about improving, and educating themselves, than 
the Acadians. They seem to learn the English languages more readily, and use 
it more properly than the white people who speak French. So far we have 
found nothing to be afraid of, and my daughter and myself drive all over these 
prairies and through the woods, or ride on horseback with no more thought of 
being afraid, than we would have back in our northern home. There are 
dangers from the elements, to be thought of and guarded against, owing to 
the want of roads and bridges, but one must get used to these conditions, 
until we can improve them, which will be soon be done, as the country 
becomes settled by more thrifty and energetic people. There is no country 
anywhere where good roads could not be so easily made and kept in good 
order. Some one may ask, but what can women do in the South? In reply 
would say, she can do anything  here she can do anywhere else, “except vote 
on school matters, The public school system of Louisiana needs remodeling, 
and a few energetic Yankee school teachers can do much to agitate and keep 
the matter before the public. One can make butter and cheese, raise chickens, 
grow small fruits and all the vegetables usually found in a kitchen at the North, 
when the land has been subdued. Let no one think of coming here and raising 
a crop the first year on new land. There is where many make a sad mistake, 
and then are disgusted with the country and all it contains. Farming here is 
not to be carried on just the same as at the North; climate, soil and 
productions being somewhat different. Nearly all kinds of fruit can be grown 
here except apples, that is suited to a temperate climate, and this opens a way 
to fruit canning, and home made preserves and jellies that are always in 
demand, where women can do something for themselves, and for the public. 
Bees do well here, and some are trying the silk culture, with what success I 
cannot tell.

One more thing Northern ladies may be sure they can have plenty of room to 
exercise their talents, and a hearty welcome from those who preceded them. It 
does not cost as much to live here, as in some other localities, partly because 
there is not the same supply of to be found in the markets. The native 
southerner never thinks of raising any surplus of eatables. Rice, cotton and 
sugar cane, are the money crops of this section, and are the only staples the 
people expect to derive from any income from. Of course increasing demand 
will create a market for other produce and the time will soon come when it will 
pay to raise vegetables of all kinds for the market. It would seem that those 
parties who are tired of the rigors of Northern winters could do no better than 
to take advantage of the excursion rates  on the principal lines of railroad, to 
come an see our section of the south and find out for themselves the exact 
conditions. Really, I think it impossible for one residing here to give a person 
living at the North a just conception of the exact state of the country and 
people

BEULAH