Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1857-04-11
Education Of American School Girls
A Horrible Discovery.

while that we had failed to discover the
great cause of the miserable bodily con-
,li,ion Of so many young women in what
is called fashionable society. We had OBJ
served that very large proportion of
Them, notN outstanding their wreichedly
chosen diet and other drawbacks, retained
a very eomely appearance of health and
ro,undity when al school, which they lost
as soon as they were.allowed to commence
the dssipalions of the ball room. This
with orr knowledge of the legitimate re.
suit was sufficient, and We considered the
matter settled.
Lately, however, we have had the op-
portunity of conversng with an intelligent
young lady who has had the usual oPpor-
tunities of fashionable education, and she
assures US that there is an almost univer-
sal horror of being fat, that causes great
numbers of them TO drink vinegar and eat
chalk and slate pencil dust 10 avoid gain
ing flesh She tells US that nearly all
who desire to be elegant in their figure
adopt these horrid practices as the readlesI
means OF agerling the consequence they
dread.
This we call horrible discovery in
deed that il was practiced, we were a.
ware, among many unfortunate young
people who had not the advantages OF
careful domestic instruction but when IN
formed OF its general prevalence, IT strikes
us with peculiar horror. That in the very
bloom and ou,burst OF her womanhood, al
Iahai period when the Creator designed TO
impress her with the erowning Of glory
of her true nature and His power, when
He has made the countenance speak love
and maternity, she should defy Him and
cut off the life current.--this is horrible in
deed and the consciousness that the
frghHul practice obtains general currency,
is sad thought for the parent and the lie
eacher.
Very few persons imagine the extent TO
which this suicidal pervetslon OF the nau-
raj instincts will 60, in young women who
are under the influence of their imaginary
superors in what they consider graceful
tthinness much has been said about tight
acing, and because the corset has partial
fly gone into disuse people imagine that
the compression OF the lungs has ceased
| it is far otherwise ; hooks and eyes and
whalebone have taken their place, and the
insane devolee willingly slatves herself by
The year !
One designing woman, envlols Of the
beauty Of an associate to whom nature has
given figure OF beautiful rolundiiy and
health, will set two-ihirds Of her acquain-
tances half crazy to emulate her bony pro-
portions. heartiless and vicious school
girl has only to blow up her cheeks and
10 say s'fatty," to the weak minded girl 10
whom nature and happy home have CIV
en- perhaps great personal beauty, and who
enjoys the degree Of vegetative life which
alone can give her constitution that will
fiji her for the duties Of wife and mother
land she has been stung by viper that
renders her miserable for life.
| Soon the roses from her cheeks, the
beautiful rotundi,y Of her person decreases
and fades the parents heart bleeds and
he consults his physician. He, eillerig
norant, Indifferent, or selfish gives some
absurd prescription, and leaves her to hel
fate. Chorosis [the result Of imperfect
nu,ri,ion.) seizes her she loses her spir-
its and refuses TO mingle in society, which
bad and enervating as il is, is now her
only hope, and her only chance for life is
marriage and maternity .--about an even
one between life and death.
~ IL, ~ |
in America, with the results of the disc-
pline and education Of young glIls in Eng
land. There We find the daughters OF
their sristocracy oflen leading natural and
healhful lives, wearing suitable clothing,
and shoes with soles thick enough to keep
the electric. force OF youth in the body, ia
king free exercise on foot in all weather,
miles and miles every day, blooming with
health and happiness, and laughing at
blind mans buff with their fathers and
mothers.
Here, conceited, ignorant of useful
knowledge, cold calculating and imPru-
dent, the young girl is Taught 10 look ou,
for rich husband from the moment she
enters .ssociety''-a horde of oyerdressed
and ignorant people who eschew all intel.
lec,ual pursuits and vulgar emulation Of
their superiors in extravagant expenditure
and ridiculous preiension.
Such is the result Of our American sys-
tenn of education ; such will be the moth
ers of the next generation. Oh for socl-
etey of educational missionaries In this
city. Sealpei.
An honest Hibernian, in recommending
a COW. said she would give milk year al
,er year, without having calves, because,
said he, sit runs in The brade, for she came
out of COW that niyer had cali.