New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-07-14
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
TAKEN IN AND DONE FOR.
:. a. H., ia A. " Tribnns

Once a Teacher, suggested by and IN reply u one
addressed to you lately the subject of Boarding
Schools for Young Ladies.
hasten to assure tits lady Of my hearty admiration
for her remarks, Of which very imp artial,
very sensiblean all carry with them at first glance,
nm excellent show OF truth.
thank her for her kind forbesrance with my gnor-
ance Of life and sOcety-it is easy to perceive that she
might have been very severe-but in return, she WIZ
perhaps pardon me Il suggest 10 her that u Is nor
usual for newspaper correspondent 70 a. sbe
ARE especialy lady's Of one 10 whose Opinions she
is publicly Directing; my efusion bore on is race
the marks Of childish, uDrpe conclusions. "aS sa'oy
unworthy the notice Of her ssge uncertain ase
"a Mother also replied to me o lew days ago not
90 much 10 refute my arguments az with crediable IN
Renuity TO insinuate into widely journal an
excellent advertisement for some " LOST tute In this
City or elsewhere
confeee 10 a very slight personal knowledge of New
York Neutrality-suspicious.. They may be--from the con
aton Of society peculiar 10 this City-in many minor
particulars different & ON thOse In the South, WI
which nlOne | am intimately acquainted; but rs a
class in oil leading characteristics they must Of ne
cessiiy resemble those. Our teachers are almost IN
verably from the North, conducting their schools on
Northern principles OF education and religious dlscp-
line dispensing their peculiar notions, their ideas
of decOTum DC; and 1t is possible that l. who for
several year, lived es pupil in two noted establish
nens am also capable of forming an impartial Judg-
rnen OF the effect Of their System young PERSONS
This lady Insists upon the mpOssibiilty to
teacher Of Counteracting perncious home-inhuence;
on that point, as general thing, she Is maniestly
wrong. have known young girls who have assured
me that they should rot be able TO nize their
parents having been from their homes in the far
south when mere babies to pursue complete course
Of study-DOt return I'LL Ehtshed. Where in those
instances there any einfuence TO be counter
acted by the Principal TO whose charge they were
confdec 1t viii be said that thOss individual
cases they In gre al measure, but by no means
30 uncommon as might be supposed.
tUhn mir
are sent "a great distance 10 school, that they go
for FIVE or seven years without the possibility of see
ing ie homes scarcely tbel parents until after they
have graduated.
When as usual with us, these establishments are in
thc country the inmates cut off from all influences
cept those immediately within the walls, what Is there
10 prevent an earnest wOmaD-reallzing the solemnty
of the duties she hus taken upon herself and the i'm
mense responsibility she thereby incurs-from making
hereof e from ditfuslng about her an atmosphere OF
her own intrinsic gOOdness-her higs-tOned moral
sense, which her pupils could not breathe without de-
irving good from 1t, without being insensibiy purhed
1 may mention furthermore a fact which "Once a
Teacher" must have merely OYerloOked-namely,
that it is only those pupils boarding at home Ia class
apart from those uuder our immediate consideration
whose diet exercise, hours of recreation study aud
reIose are dictated by the caprice OF the moment
teacher has not these difficulties 10 contend against
in scholars placed entirely under her conro-nOthing
TO overcome, after little while al least but very TITLES
In their physical education. The diet OF boarding
school as " simrlc' lsay meagre) enough heaven
knows aud the hours of exercise study, &C., are pre-
soIbed with cockwOrk regularity; with a few indi-
yOua exceptions there are large number OF healthy
intelligent girs whose minds aud hearts, when most
susceptible TO influences for good evil, may be TILED
aDO sOwn with any seed.
Madame begins with her system there is no lack of
DISCIPLINE end of moral hOmilies and forbidden
81 subjects" (which latter in common with sweet
meats arc enjoyed in secret no dearth of rules and
maxins-lino upon line and precept upon precept.
Tie careful guardian hedges about these tender
souls with warnings and proverbs, with religious OBJ
seryances with Hastings and with prayer All that her
duty" tor it sounds well, II looks well-moreOver 1t
reads well III her arsOcratic circulars itmparts moral
tone TO her picture OF the interior OF the Institution;
reeio and morality are very respectable no parent,
however worldly, but would desire IN his child
Of OF h. iS.' "0'0S"'9'' '''' S"'''' ''''''a"''
TO the assertion that girls are sent TO these
schools IN order to form associations with their
"btttcrs, il may be true OF such establishments IN
New ok, where rapidly -acquired fortunes have go
much weight IN general society.
10 similar schools III The South, 1t does not apply
the barriers of posi- ion there are nexorabe the bounds
severely defined; some OF the Southern States there
is no such thing as middle class and in all much less
of mert, money ed arislocracy; Roureau rche were
dc worth "a million, could not lntrude upon an
"Old family" IN comparative poverty; nor has
daue her by any possible chance, prolong an intimacy
formed al bOardin. -schoo with those socially above
her
The stated annual exhibitions are not the least dis
gushing fentme of these denominations. have at
tended well as taken part IN many aud have never
seen Principal Otherwise than biz with seltimpor-
lance aud competency on these occasions.
What has she to .earl Her troops have been duly
drilled for this grand parade; they cannot but go
through then evolutions with precision and brlancy
rctectng mboundcd credit upon their commander.
For weeks and months, early and late, unwearied
preparations have been going on; many OF the youGg
adee are clever ambitious to excel there is danger
of blunders; the proper pupil 'cM be brought for.
g. ware at tie prOpet moment each one knows aud
will play well her part if dull she will be saved, if
blillisni she will have ample opportunity to shine.
Intricate arias aud dashing eavatnas are TO be per-
formed to relieve the m0notOny OF recltaton-picures
the ames of which the only valuable part of them
painted by the pupils or their masters decorate the
walle-there is even elegant collation. TO be served
in the grand saloon at the close Why should she be
otherwise than selfcOngratulatory on being the
Ambition of all this feast of reason for that dear
public which pstronizes and applauds her
"Once Teacher" may be very sure that If iady
should by some unhappy chance only once feel the
degl adaton, tie selEconemot, of having contrived
such a sory sham-such piutul tickling of the vani-
" of weak parents-she would rather scrub floors
Notwithstanding her. dainty palms, for living than
be again subjected 10 II.
4 his business is engaged in only as a very quick
md easy means of acquiring fortune, whom the truth
as that as absolutely requires persons specially de-
voted 10 the cause sensible of It's dignity and even
hsious importance as do Christian missions or the
{ulpits OF our churches.
The grand aim of all should be the same-to make
good and women, to refine aud cultivate mental
~ aud spiritually. Why should the ooe cause bc en-
tered upon with less conscientious self-ex imnanon
less cautious trembling of responsibility, and
with more mere mercenary consideration than the
other ONE or rHK FINISHED
Nsse. Yoyk, July To-
pr,,arr puvcICfANS