Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1857-08-14

040v4A@ iva - - 80
We observe that almost everything
in science and art Is taught Gun young
ladies, except that which is Of the
most importance and value for them
TO know and be skilled in. That
knowledge which Is 10 guide and aid
them through life. in the performance
Of their most serious duties. does net
enter into the scheme OF education
pursued at our academies. We refer
to the knowledge and science Of house
keeping-the art which is more con-
stantly called intorequisition in every
phase Of the after-life of our young
women than any other, and in the
knowledge Of which so much Of hap
piness, success and comfort depend
The interval between the departure of
our young women from college and
their assumption Of the serious duties
Of sober practical, every day life. is.
in this country fearfully brief That
interval is usually expended in pleas
ure, amusement, gayety. powerful
eradicators or obliterators of acquire.
ments In abstract sciences.
How much ofalgebra, trigonometiy
logic and geometry have ever suryi.
we'd In the Uranium Of the very best
graduates of our female colleges two
gay seasons2 What young damscl,
with the slightest pretcnsion to come.
illness, ever disturbs the dusty retire
ment Of those odious old dog-eared
volumes, Darts Leyender, Wayiands
Moral Science, Tower's Mental .Alqebra.
&C., as long as dear, delightful Bull
wer, enhancing Byron. bewildcring
DIsraelli present such irresistible ias-
cination TO minds and hearts intent
on love, marriage, coquetry and gay
ETY.? Then why waste so much prec-
ious time and SO much mental effort.
and confuse their ideas with such vain.
cumbrous and imperous and Imperfect
views Of science, that add not whit
to the wise that is needed in after
life, and OF which even the little that
is acquired is sought TO be rid OF. and
10, indeed, rid of within few months
after graduation. There is certainly
in all this strange inconsistency
with the practical, utilitarian system
which prevails in this country In nj.
most everything else. Our girls are
employed for the two or three last
years ofthe following yeas, they labor,
with greater success, to forget Thus,
the best period Of life for the acquisi.
ton of real, valuable knolcdge is
thrown away.
Wt.s. al l.&t~. - ...o.--l--1
gin, new course must be opened.
new studies begun, for which there
has been no preparatory discipline
All are Freshmen" now algebra
trigonometry, logic shed no light on
this new path Of duty. "0hl' many
q young wife has exclaimed, chad /
devoted at least small portion of my
time in studying and practicing the
rules Of household economy, in learn
ing TO cook, 10 make bread, TO keep
accounts, 10 do plain sewing. 10 cut
out clothes, 10 cultivate plants, trees
vegetables, and all the other duties
which now press so heavily upon me-
But, II may be said, there are things
that cannot be taught at schools; they
must be practically learnt. We deny
this proposition and call for the proof
There Is one single department of
household duty which, as science
and art, IL as clearly defined and sys.
tematized, and involves as large an
inquiry into the most important truths
Of natural science as any that Is taught
in our schools. We refer 10 the art
Of cookery, or 10 use the classic word.
gastronomy. IL Is an art which con.
duces 10 the health, happiness and
enjoyment Of the people 10 u greater
degree than all others. IL IL an art,
too, peculiarly adapted TO study, sci.
entific research and demonstration. -
II requires knowledge OF chemistry,
Of physiology, of botany, natural his
tory, or geology; the elements OF mat
ter, their chemical combinations, 40.
How they may be developed and
adapted 20 human taste and digestion;
how these powers and qualities are
changed and affected, are but few of
the queries which arise In the course
of the study Of this science. IL not
such an art, both ~ q study and for
its practical uses, OF far moro dignity
and value than the smattcring oxer-
ciscs In geometry, mental algebra and
metaphysics, In which our young wo.
men employ their minds for few
months before entering the arena OF
4 life. We reply that we should be
better satisfied 10 receive from a grad
uate OF, one OF our female schools a
prompt and honest answer 20 the
question, how 20 cook n beoi.etenl. or
make chicken. pie, than TO witness
the most faithful momoriEed demon
slartIon In Euolld or algebra. We do
not mean that our young ladies' should
commit 20 memory recipes for dishes,
&c, but that they should be familiar
ized with the qualities, nature aud
relation Of substances that hfe used for
food, such ~ may be learned and
taught In tho schools ne satisfactorily
~ the laws and principles Of astrono.
my, natural philosophy and geome.
try.
And tho culinary art Ii but one Of
the branches Of the extensive science
OF domestic duiy, Of household labor
and study, which, sooner or later,
must devolye upon oil our females, -
Further elaboration of what We have
thus lmperieotly limited or sketched
out being Justified by our lImlls, We
are constrained 10 conclude these oh
sefvatIona by ASKING why IL there
not In our female colleges n department
OF household study, either o. an cd,
dillon or q substitute for much Of Che
high sounding science that n now
doled out 20 our young ladles, IN such
homeopathic doses, that the impros,
sion on their tender brains 4 ~
evaneseent ''as the bubhls al the loun
lain OF tho foam upon tho riverg"-
Cincinnati Eng,