Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1858-12-22
For the Spirit of the Age.
Female Education.

Female education is one Of the leading
topics OF our age. This is manifested hy the
numerous seminaries, academies, and colleges,
scattered over our land. Scarcely a village
meets our eye, but some handsome edifce.
endowed with instructors, rears its form,
opening its portals to our American girls
Here are gathered together the highest intel
lects our country and towns, yet from many
such We meet witbAIlgtreaerT school of size
that will of themselves overcome obsta cles
and shines crowned with a coronal formed Of
the most sparkling gems of knowledge vet
such arc not the generality of youths. and
unless our teachers perform their respective
duties, we must still continue to receive nm.
educated females.
Due attention and diligence to understand
what one commits to memory, is an imnor-
tant rulef for improving the mind, for furnish
ing the st%ore-house of knowledge. When the
attention is strongly fixed on any particular
SUBJECT, all that is said concerning it makes
a deeper impression on the mind. Clear and
distlhct apprehension Of things which we
would memorize then, are undoubtedly no.
cessary to enable the mind to retain them
rant gllmmerings and confused ideas vanish
IKE images seen in twilight; hence many a
pupil forgets what he has pretended to learn
merely because he never understood II He
never clearly and distinctly took in the mean
ing OF those words and sylables which he was
required to recite. This is precisely the rea-
son SO many youths make such poor profici-
ency In learning under preceptors. who never
explain what they profess to teach, merely
exactmg OF their pupils a parrot-like ~repeti-
ton OF what their books contain-teacbino
words without ideas. Frequently we meet
with those who have been the REGIMENTS of
instruction from schools, that profess to be
tue pest our country affords, who are perfect
III repeating WORDS, but have no KNOWLEDGE
Whatever OF their connected meaning. 1t Is
necessary In teaching, to explain each lesson
in easy familiar words, brought nc noor ~
possible to the understanding of orr n1n;ls
according to their different capacities Tba1
should never state a lesson ia the words &c
the author, without being able to give in tba;r
own language the meaning Of each word or
phrases thereby they obtain useful knowI-
edge when the words are treasured nm II
memory, because at the same time thew Law
up ideas too. Method is also necessary II
teaching. The mutual dependence of things
on each other, help the memory of both Al
analysis OF a discourse gives greater advan-
tage to the reader, or nearer, in order to he
remembrance oft For the same reason No.
ges OF history are more easily understood than
a few unconnected sentences. A freonsn+ra
view OF what is learned is also needfll to on.
stamp 1T indellibly on the memory thereforo
It IS the duty of teachers to frequently ones.
ton their pupils on what they have preyionslv
studied. Delight in what we learn also Gives
great assistance towards our remembra5ca of
II; therefore, whatever we wish a child r. Iearn
we should make it as pleasant to him as noe
sioie; endeavor to search his genius. and his
temper; and let him take in the instrnct;on