an gadding about without her husband is not a proper
chaperon.

There are also many occasions when a chaperon is unnecessary! It is
considered perfectly correct for a young girl to drive a motor by herself,
or take a young man with her, if her family know and approve of him, for
any short distance in the country. She may play golf, tennis, go to the
Country Club, or Golf Club (if near by), sit on the beach, go canoeing,
ride horseback, and take part in the normal sports and occupations of
country life. Young girls always go to private parties of every sort
without their own chaperon, but the fact that a lady issues an invitation
means that either she or another suitable chaperon will be present.

=THE BEST CHAPERON HERSELF=

Ethically the only chaperon is the young girl's own sense of dignity and
pride; she who has the right attributes of character needs no
chaperon--ever. If she is wanting in decency and proper pride, not even
Argus could watch over her! But apart from ethics, there are the
conventions to think of, and the conventions of propriety demand that very
young woman must be protected by a chaperon, because otherwise she will be
misjudged.

=THE RESIDENT CHAPERON=

No young girl may live alone. Even though she has a father, unless he
devotes his entire time to her, she must also have a resident chaperon who
protects her reputation until she is married or old enough to protect it
herself--which is not until she has reached a fairly advanced age, of
perhaps thirty years or over if she is alone, or twenty-six or so if she
lives in her father's house and behaves with such irreproachable
circumspection that Mrs. Grundy is given no chance to set tongues
wagging.

It goes without saying that a chaperon is always a lady, often one whose
social position is better than that of her charge; occasionally she is a
social sponsor as well as a moral one. Her position, if she is not a
relative, is very like that of a companion. Above all, a chaperon must
have dignity, and if she is to be of any actual service, she must be kind
of heart and have intelligent sympathy and tact. To have her charge not
only care for her, but be happy with her, is the only possible way such a
relationship can endure.

Needless to say a chaperon's own conduct must be irreproachable and her
knowledge of the world such as can only be gained by personal experience;
but she need not be an old lady! She can perfectly well be reasonably
young,