The Ohio organ, of the temperance reform. (Cincinnati, [Ohio]) 1853-1854, 1853-12-09

cATIoN.-The Southern LADIES' Com.
/ P0nion has a valuable article upon the
education Of'girls, from which we ex-
tract an important passage ;--" The
popular fondness for numerous and
snowy attainments, even sewere the
system Of teaching perfect, can lead
to nothing but shalloWness,G Take up
the plan or programme Of our fash
ionable schools, and ask yourself how
could it be otherwise Here is a
four years college course ~ forty
months of instruction--and see what
is to be learned in than brief period.
Take a sample" Grammar, Arith-
metic, Geography, American History,
Botany, Writing, Composition, Rhe.
toric, Logic, Criticism, Algebra, Ge-
ometry, European History, Evidences
Of Christianity, Natural Philosophy,
Chemistry, Trigonometry, Mensura.
ton, Moral Philosophy, Latin, French,
Grecian and Roman History, Astron-
omy, Geology, Mental Philosophy,
Mineralogy, Animal Physiology, Eng.
lish Classics, Vegetable Physiology,
Rhetorical Readings, instrumental
Music, Vocal Music, Drawing, Paint.
ing, Embroidery, Ornamental Needle.
work, Wax Work, Shell Work, etc.
etc. etc. Here we have some twenty
sciences, two languages, extensive his.
torical readings, fine arts and sundries,
some forty distinct studies to be mas
tered in forty months, and among
them two languages, the natural, NOR
al and exact sciences, and instrument
tai music. Perhaps no student ever
mastered those two languages thor
oughly in four years, land Greek is
often included, J and few, if any, ever
become accomplished performers on
the piano or harp in so short time.
But by what magic is it that girls,
beginning Latin in the latter half of
their junior year, and French in their
senoir year, can master them before
the end Of the course. Pardon us for
speaking plainly; but we can hardly
look on this course as less than fraud.
A girl studies Latin twelve or, fifteen
months, and French half as long--at
the same time having a dozen other
studies on hand-and graduates with
credit, and takes her diploma as hav-
ing taken the regular course-Greek,
Latin, French, and all. Is not the
girl cheated into the opinion that she
understands the languages, Of which
she can know nothing Of any value,
and the parent cheated out Of his
money? Any man, capable of teach.
ing the languages, knows that such a
mere smattering as can be acquired in
so short time, can be of no value to |
the student; then what is the object |
What can it be, if it be not to give |
false character to the school, and get
money virtually by false pretences
Perhaps some pallistion may be found
in the vitiated public taste, and the
false pride Of parents, which leads
them to seek as large a literary name
as possible for their daughters, whether
true or false /; but this cannot, it would i
seem, be a full justification of trustees
and teachers, who are the persons to
correct those errors, rather than by \
bowing to strengthen them. With /
defective modes Of teaching, and an i
amount of studies pressed into the
course, much greater than could be
compassed by the best possible teach
ing, it must necessarily happen that
female education must be superficial, H
and in the same proportion inutile."