Spirit of the times. [volume] (Ironton, Ohio) 1853-1858, 1853-02-01


inequalities and inadequacies Of wages
paid to femalcs-the starvation prices
which result in the moral and physical
destruction Of woman. The inadequate
provision for female education was next
discussed, and the speaker expressed the
opinion that any given amount Of care
bestowed upon female mind would pro.
ducc a richer harvest that Ia the instance
OF male pupil. We have no free a.
cademlcs for woman, and when we come
TO colleges, we may as we'll conclude
that woman is no portion of Creation.
Mr.. M. instanced Mrs. Somervillc in
Astronomy, and Mrs. Putnam in Mo.
dern History, as showing the capacities
oil the female mind. Mrs. M. was glad
TO except Oberlin Institute from the Col.
lcges which have never opened their
doors to woman. At all other doors, the
Cog and Magos Of monopoly, in the
forms of custom and prejudice, stand at
the threshold and forbid her to enter,
The lecturer argued in the most formula.
bic manner the necessity for placing
woman in the most advantageous posi-.
ton Tor education, as a matter of the
utmost importance to the world. Her
position at the cradle is one moro no.
bio and more fruitful ofimportant conse.
qucnces than any that man can ever at.
tain. How important, then, that she
should have the most enlarged and pruc
tical knowledge, the most varied and
minute requirements, the most pure and
elevated moral character, to guide to the
right path the helpless beings who are to
be tho future "lords of crea. .ion."
He said that he had endeav vorcd to cs.
tablish the fact, that God had created
the two sexes on the principle of the di.
vision of labor; there is no woman's
sphere orman's sphere, but each had a
hemisphere and it took both to com.
plete the circle. He had also shown
that woman had never been treated as
she should have been; that she ought to
Eave had an education equal to the best
that man had guaranteed to himself. A,
arc created male and female, so
labors and pursuits purtakc Of charac
ter quite similar. He would point out
some of the callings in which woman
was particularly fitted to excel. First,
in the arts Of design. Is it not ridicu.
lous that man should originate the dc.
signs which decorate woman's dress, or
boudoir, or parterre? Let woman have
the whole control Of ornamental design,
and we shall soon see vast improve.
ment in arts. He said that copying,
(penmanship,) proof. reading, and such
sorts Of labor we've peculiarly adapted to
females. But one calling, he was sor.
ry to say, women were rather disposed
10 abandon-that is, the art Of house.
keeping. 1t should be the greatest pride
Of woman to be scientific and practi.
cal cook. In the great variety Of com.
Dinations in the cuisine, she has per.
feet laboratory, and one worthy OF
chemists improvement. Mr.. M. dilat.
ed upon the Importance Of the larder,
and its effect upon the health and hap.
plness Of family. And then he pro.
ceedcd to examine, in an amusing man.
ner, the superintendent Of the ward.
.obc. But her highest duty is the edu.
cation Of children-this is a calling
more important, more noble than any to
which man can ever aspire. Hero wo.
nan has the very existence of morality,
If religion, Of society in her hands. Up.
IN this, his favorite topic, Mr.. Mann
lwelt at considerable length, and with
most convincing argument and illustra.
ion. Let woman, then, be educated to
he highest point, not only for her own
AXE, but for the sake of the world, of
humanity. But there are pursuits for
which woman is not fitted; as war, which
n every case must be wrong on one side,
md in nine cases out Of ten is wrong on
10th. The speaker indulged in vigor.
'us comparison Of the different views Of
rhine in peace and in war, how white
md black were one or the other as cir.
umstances dictate. ltmay be said that ;
women were Legislators, war would die
ut. He thought not; the opportunity TO
ratify a passion would fire that very
pirit into action. OF law, he thought
t not suited to woman. She lacked the
ard. dry, calculating, passonlcss spir.
which was primarily necessary-she
acked the unainching nerve demanded
n Judge-tho endurance required Of
Jury. He saw but one reason why
he should not preach the Gospel, and
hat was, she looks vastly better in liv.
ng the Gospel than in preaching it to