Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1843-10-24
From the Mercantile Journal.
FEMALE EDUCATION.

AS the influence oil woman is confined |
TO her own sex, but affects the other in no
inconsiderable degree, how important a
matter it is that she should be carefully |
educatedl 1t is her great and glorious
distinguishing for the part which she
played in the fall Of man-ultmateIy to
perfect his character, and through the grace
Of God, TO exal; all humanity into his light
and love.
We may sec in our own neighborhood |
how great is her influence in softening the |
speriles Of mans Lature-in chcrshing
his gentler sentiments, in purifying his
thoughts, and in melting him to lofty and
ennobIing aims; but it is where we most
lack her presence, that those who have
enjoyed il, can by the contrast best appre-
ciate its benign effect. Without The waves
VIII h bare the s:ashore, the pebbles on
its margn-renderrd by their action as
polished rs the art of the lapdary could
make them-Would always have been
rough AMI unsightly, aud when by the ebb
o. those clear waters, they are no longer
moistencd and refreshed, they lose their
lus,re, their beautiful hues disappear, aud
they are no longer the gems, forming =
many tinted tasselated pavement, over
which the rippies dance to the music Of
their own voices. SO the man who has
never asso ated with pure woman, is as
rough as the rocks in the quarry; and
even though he may have been SO fortu-
nate as 10 have mingled much in her society,
if he be deprived OF it for any considerable
length OF time, he is prone to lose the
moral beauty which she has cultivated in
hun, and to degenerate into colrseness,
sen(u ,Iity and vice.
There are many settlements-not TO say
towns Sin our country, which can boast
ot comparatively few virtuous, educated
ie nal'S, and where the young men, (who
are chiefly emigrants from older and better
rrgul 'teI places, associate almost ex-
Clusjvey with their own sex. 1t is nearly
incredible how their morals and manners
dcteriorate under these circumstances and
had we not good evidence Of the fact, it
could not believed. heard while ahrord,
more than one young man whom at home
| knew only rs pc lte, intellectual and
pure, aScrbe the depreciation OF his mind
and manners to the want Of that female
society to which he had been accustomed.
| once expressed some surprise at the
languag, and habits of one in a Western
Stlte, whom | had known in Boston as n
member of rigid religious sect, when he
told me with tIors in his eyes. that he
t.orad his lo,virr homo and IN, comnan-
i,nship of hi. sisters and female friends.
wo,Id rosn,t in his ny ,roI ru;o When he
first sn,tIad in rho ,Iace--ip which thare
were IN, faw lao,,Is nr INV kind-tba coarse
and nrol,na convor.,,ion Of the ind vid,,ls
with wbon lie must associ,tc if be re-.
manned papod and diSguS,cd him. b,t rs
i, grew NOR. familiar 10 his ears. and he
could hold no communion with wom,n's
pure thouohts. with which h, contrast 70
keen its holiness always ann,rent. he ne.
came almost imocrccntibIv reconriIcd to
i.sd.tc,,,ble feot,r,s and IN rco,rd them
n lively and snir,,cd. while thnS, of vir-
tious comrun cation nnneared feeble and
nue,i!e One NV one his GOOD res ,lu,ions
had me,ed into Thin air. and had habits
grown upon him. until he felt that his
e ,rlier and better associations would no
loopcr me conoeniol or oven tnlerohIe IA
him.
Travelling soma vo,rs 400 !, Alabaro
StOnDpI nj mi Uhtl, 4 (1S * uSlIrl with wa u
Cnrers in that and ,he ADJOINING STATS } At
the frs, ho,sa c,mo 70 SIroncar ~
was, and enbcmcrnl rs opr acon7in,oncc
was likely to be, the rude. vet ooen .hea tied
people soon made me as much a, home as
.possib,e. and before our unsonhi>ticat,d
sumner of bacon, .corn.dodrcrs,' wild honey
ami cIabber, was half over, was as much
in their Confidence as # had known them
for wears. Mos, familiar with me, and
most in nv good graces, was the yonngcs,
son Of my hos;-an intelligent IiitIe fellow.
clad only in the simplest of all possible
tunics. and Numbering il nav be. some six
or seven summers His f,ce was one of
- most intellectual, rs well as the most
want Of soln and wafer. thu, have ever
IN 4 with among children of his age
" hen, in the course of NV conversation
with his parents. he learned I'm, | WAS
from what his father coIItd the Rio Nor-
r1f.'-,he North-the cbiIt asked me-
wbe,e Tim, wos. ,hoa o,annol I'll. -,