Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1853-12-01
SCHOOLGIRLS should be schoOl-eirla.7

attention of mothersy:-- NJ. T,-..s s.v.,.f ...-
As girls are usually at school from early
period till within short time of their mar
riage, it is important that they acquire habits
of industry, neatness and economy during the
time they are at school, and especially in the
instances where they are from home at board
ing-school. How are these important lessons
taught in our female colleges Are girls
taught to make, or even to mend, and careful
ly look after their own clothing! Are they
taught habits of neatness! Or rather is not
the whole matter Of keeping their apparel,
their rooms, and other matters, in neat order,
left entirely to servants or other persons AS
to economy, girls have poor opportunity at
many of our schools, to learn that the word
has any practical use. The daughters Of
wealthy parents are indulged by their parents
and teachers in expensive apparel, jewelry,
and the rest. Those in more moderate cir
cumstances, not having the courage to be
placed In lower caste, by living within their
means, strain every nerve to keep pace with
the wealthy in career of extravaganza
We have known the heads of female schools,
instead of restraining this tendency to extrav-
agance, to encourage it. An examination, or
some other pageant, is to come off; and, for
the credit of the schools, he wishes the girls
to show to the best advantage possible before
the public. The parents are at distance. and
the principal encourages the girls to make ac-
nd Il r..
credit. Suggestions of this kind are readily
followed by girls naturally desirous to make
fair show, and the fathers or guardians are
run in debt without their knowledge and con-
sent and we have known cases in which these
extra expenses have exceeded the whole cost
Of boarding, tuition and all other regular ex-
penses. Such course may gain the princi-
pal favor with thoughtless girls; but the IA
ther, who, on coming for his daughter, with
money enough TO pay the regular school charg-
es, finds as much more charged against him
for what he was neither willing nor able to
indulge his daughter in, feels that he has been
imposed upon, not to say defrauded. One ex-
cellent means of counteracting this evil is, by
the establishing a uniform dress for the stu
dents, Of plain, cheap, substantial character,
rejecting all jewelry and ornaments, and al
lowing them to appear abroad in no other !;
and we are gratifed to notice that this course
| has been adopted in some Of our female schools,
and with fine effect 1t tends to promote both
the economy and republican equality, so essen
tial to the success Of such schools And Moth
| ing can be more predjudicial to the prosperity
, of school than the fostering of cdStcs, or any
| kind Of aristocracy in them-engendering en-
| w, jealousy, dscord. No distinctions should
be allowed in schools but such as arise from
merit. Let the rich mans daughter outstrip
the daughter of the poor, or of the man in mod
crate circumstances, in race Of extravaganza,
if she will but let not this unholy and unea-
quail competition enter into the school-never.
1t is ruinous. If parents and teachers would
act on the firm resolve that schoolgirls should
be school girls, and nothing more, it would go
far toward checking the evil under notice for
what good reason can be shown for bedecking
little girl twelve or fourteen in the gaud and
trappings Of an oriental bride, merely to study
in, or to appear in as school girl at church
or an examination! In the first case, they
should be apparelled in neat, common cloth
ing, in which they would be comfortable and
Y perfectly at ease and in the second, they
should appear in the simple uniform of their
school. Scarcely anything can appear more
ridiculous, in the eyes Of a sensible person,
than girl at her books, laced, and dressed,
and jeweled up like an actress. They are but
schoolgirls, and they should appear in char
acter. Where the opposite course is adopted,
young men readily take the very Ineligible
n hint that these finely dressed little maidens
are thus unseasonably offering themselves in
the matrimonial mart, and are not backward
in bestowing attentions and making bids
Now, give those young men but restricted
opportunity of access to the society of the lit
tie Aadies-they are dressed as 'yO'mg ladies' ,
from eight to ten years old-and soon we have
, fine exhibition of gallantries, billet dea'er,
and the rest. Parents dress their children
, like brides, and so advertise them as disposa-
bic commodities teachers allow young men
to visit their girls, converse with them, hear
them play, accompany with them the flute or
voice; perhaps attend them to church and on
their evening walks and yet their parents
I and teachers are utterly at loss to account
for the results which they have themselves
produced; they cannot imagine why their
girls will not study, and have an utter aver
sion to books-villainous love-sick novels al
ways excepted-why they are SO fond Of the
company of the other sex, why they are ready
to elope with worthless dandes and branless
f fops. IF parents and teachers do act in the
premises with common sense and discreetness,
it is hardly reasonable to expect children to
act with perfect prudence and wisdom. We
are much pleased to find that some Of our best
, female schools, and some, too, in the most
wealthy sections, and patronized by the more
wealthy class, are rigidly restraining all OK
pensiveness of dress, rejecting jewelry, and
, prohibiting the society Of young men entirely,
! Yet there are even mothers to be found,
f who fear that, without mixing with the socie-
ty Of young men, their daughters viii fail to
acquire ease and gracefulness of manners, and
are, therefore, willing to peril all else to Sc
cura tboso y To- ~ III, r.~o,., ~o,son there