The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1846-09-22
From the n. Y. Tribune
FEMALE TEACHERS FOR THE
WEST

FEMALE TEACHERS FOR THE
WEST.
We have just read with deep interest two
Addresses on The subject of Education from
the pen Of Miss Catherine f. Beecher of
Cincinnati. They are published under one
corcrby he Harpers, forming pamphlet Of
36 pages of double octave. and most heartily
do we wish that they could be read in every
family in our country. The first Of these
Addresses was presented by the author TO
meetings Of Ladies in Cincinnati, Washing
ton, Baltimore. Philadelphia, New York and
other cities, and is designed to set forth The
Evils suffered by American Women and
American Children; the Causes and the
Remedy These Evils are shown to be the
result Of bad or imperfect Education, and The
Remedy urged is that to which Ibis amenta-
BILE fact so Significantly points.
Miss Deccher has devoted much time to
careful investigation of the subject on which
she writes. and the facts which she presents
are such as may well startie those whose
means Of information are less extensive than
hers. From the census il appears that there
are IN our country nearly a million adults
who cannot read and write, and more than
two millions Of children who are utterly illit-
crate and entirely without schools. Ohio
and Kentucky, the best supplied of The Yves
tern States, demand at this moment FIVE
THOUSAND Teachers each to supply them in
the same ratio as Massachusetts is SUD.
Piled.
ln connection with this sad picture OF
Chlldren growing up in ignorance, Miss
Beecher takes occasion to point out the
Causes which have exered depressing influ-
ence upon the Women OF the country; and
she shows how the evils which have de
pressed her sex may be removed by the
measures best adapted to secure for children
the education which all admit to be necessary
for their owu good and tho welfare of the
State.-lt is certainly happy thought
which thus blends in one the Interests Of
Women and Children, and opens before us
the prospect of intellectual and moral eleva-
ton to both. The causes which operate to
the disadvantage of Women are presented
with great clearness and force, and are briefly
these: l. The principle Of Caste arrayed
against healihful and productice Labor :;
2. The excess Of Female population in the
older States caused by the disproporiionart
emigration to the West Of the other sex :;
3. The absence of any profession for Wo
men of Education and high position, which
like law. medicine and theology, opens the
way to competence, influence and honor.
and presents motives for exertion; 4, The
contempt, neglect, or utter Indifference,
which has befalIen the noble profession oil
Teacher. On the subject Of Caste as OPP
posed 10 Labor, her remarks are so impor-
tant that we cannot resist the temptation 10
crafty our readers by quoting them;
ITO understand the power ofihc principle,
sec what sacrifices men and women make
and what tolls they endure, 10 save Them
selves from whatever sinks them in station
and estimation. And this is principle
equally powerful in high and low, rich and
poor. To observe how it bears against health
lul and productive labor. let any woman, who
esteems herself in the higher grades Of so
ciety, put the case as her own, and imagine
that her son, or brother, is about TO marry
young lady. whose character aud education
are every way lovely & unexceptionabe, but
who, it appears. is seamstress, or d nurse or
domestic, and how few are there. who v i'll
notbe conscious Of the opposing principle Of
caste. But suppose the young lady to be
one, who has been earning her livelihood by
writing poetry and love stories, or who has
iFcu Ill ne' ud( III uNot iuicueSsi duu uon
suddenly the feelings are changed Now,
all the comfort and happiness of society de-
pend upon having that work properly PER
formed, which is done by nurses. seamsiress-
es, chamber maids, and cooks; and so long
as this kind Of work is held to be degrading.
and those who perform it are allowed to
grow up ignorant and vulgar, and then are
held down by the prejudices OF caste, every
woman will use the greatest efforts. aud uu-
dergo the greatest privations, 10 escape from
the degraded and discreditable position.
And this state Of society is now. by The nat
ural course ofthibgs, bringing just retribu-
ton on the classes who cherish il. Domes-
tics are forsaking the kitchen, and Ihronging
to the workshop and mandatory, and mainly
under the influence OF the principle Of clSte
while the family state suffers keenly from the
loss. Meantime the daughters OF wealth
have their Intellectual faculties and their
sensibililies developed. while all the house
hold labor, which would equally develop
,he'r physical powers, and save Them from
ill-healih, is turned off to hired domestics. or
shaving mother. The only remedy for this
evil is, securing proper education for all
classes. and making productive labor honora-
BILE. by having all classes engaged in it,"
Passing ever much that we would like TO
quote il we could find room, We will now
present passage containing the germ Of
Miss Beecher's Plan for Removing the
Evils which she TO graphically describes: