The Tragic Silence of a Lost Girl
An editorial reflection on the double standard of morality that led to a young woman's death in the Snohomish County jail.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Mrs. Letha Lamara, aged 19, committed suicide the other day in the Snohomish county jail. You all read the little story and beyond a slight quickening of the pulse you paid it but little heed as you turned on to some other portion of your paper. It was such a common little event; probably you read of a dozen other suicides ere you laid down your paper. But in those meagre lines was pictured one of life's tragedies. Young, pretty, vivacious, Letha Lamara entered upon her golden days of girlhood. And then 'twas the same old wretched story that for ages bards have sung; 'twas a woman weak and wanton and a villain's tempting tongue. Judge then the waters of despair that must have surged around little Letha Lamara to cause her to slip out of life into eternity. Our double standard of morality vouchsafes to the man forgiveness, but to the woman it holds nought but the long night of scorn and calumny. Letha chose what seemed to her the easiest way out. Society will shrug its shoulders over the fate of the wayward girl—and straightway forget that she ever lived. And meanwhile other Lethas will tread the same crimson path, victims of men's perfidy and their own waywardness. And we will continue condoning the man and damning the woman, the meanwhile boasting of our twentieth century civilization.
“Our double standard of morality vouchsafes to the man forgiveness, but to the woman it holds nought but the long night of scorn and calumny.”
This editorial serves as a haunting reminder of the social stigma and systemic abandonment facing women in crisis over a century ago. It highlights the persistence of 'double standards' in societal responses to shame and poverty, themes that remain active in conversations surrounding social support systems and justice.
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