The important change in women’slife-pattern has only recently begun to have its full effect on women’seconomic position. Even a few years ago, most girls left school at the firstopportunity, and most of them took a full-time job. However, when they married,they usually left work at once and never returned to it.

Today, the school-leaving age is sixteen,many girls stay at school after that age, and though women tend to marryyounger, more married women stay at work at least until shortly before theirfirst child is born. Very many more afterwards return to full-time or part-timework. Such changes have led to a new relationship in marriage, with the husbandaccepting a greater share of the duties and satisfactions of family life andwith both husband and wife sharing more equally in providing the money andrunning the home, according to the abilities andinterests of each of them.