Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1859-06-01
From the New York Observer.
Public Examinations in Female Schools

of the annual commencement OF promlnen
Female Seminary in your city, with the name:
of the pupils to whom prizes were awarded
There are several institutions of the kind in
our country, which are conducted on the same
principle, and havesstheir yearly exhibitions
A still larger number, which decline this cere
monial, have, nevertheless, public examina.
ton at the close of each year, which is open
to all comers--a custom introduced, if mis-
take not, by leading and successful semina
ry in your State, some thirty-Iive years ago,
1t has greatly surpris d me that system
so intrinsically vicious should have been al
lowed to perpetuate and even diffuse itself
| without remonstrance. On what basis it rests,
other or better than that of giving notoriety
to the schools which adopt it, know not
while the objections to it are, as it strikes me,
palpable and decicive. AS part of public
school system, have nothing to say about it.
People may claim it as their right to inspect
in this way schools for the support of which
they pay taxes. speak only of private
schools.
find no warrant for public examinations
in such schools, In the true because the Scrip
tnral) conception of the proper social sphere
Of the weaker sex. They are adverse to that
delicacy of feeling and those refined sensibili.
ties which, next to genuine religion. constitute
the charm and glory of woman and for the
absence of which not even piety itself can
compensate In this view, they are in conflict
with that national Sc tinent f which we are
Justly proud, which makes the name of wo.
man 4 sacred name amongst US, and secures
to her a Difference and courtesy in-our pub
lie rUnveyances unknown beyond the limits of
our counrv. The whole purport and drift Of
these examinations, is to break down that
mysterious barrier which, though invisible :.
self, guards the innate modesty and tim .dity
of the youthful female from intrusive eyes,
and nourishes while it shelters her purest
affections.
As father-and l suppose other fathers
feel as do on the subject-it is no aim nor
desire OF mine, in send ng my daughter to
school, that she should be fitted to make de.
nstrationbefore the public. do not want
an ussenblage, however respectable, called
together to witness and applaud her proficien.
cy in music, in mathematics, in composition,
or in anything else. ii she has gifts of this
sort, prefer mot designing her f." the stage
they should be garnered up among my other
household jewels, and brought out, as such
jewels usually are, for the qualification of the
friends we may choose to invite to our fireside.
The public may applaud my sons, when they
deserve it; but do not acish them to applaud
my daughters. And as to gazetiily them for
their cquircments-publishing the names Of
these young creatures in the newspapers, and
extoling their performances as you would
those Of an opera tro pc, or the speakers at
popular meeting-there is something posi-
lively revolving in it. Is this, in any shape or
form or degree, one of the, legitimate ends of
female education? Are we educating our
daughters that they may win the plaudits Of
the public9 Or do we require the help of
the public TO stimulate their ambition, and
make them study as they ought? l beg to
say--speaking for very many parents" non
tuti auritio,". if We cannot train our daugh.
ters without invoking an alliance like this. we
prefer that they should 20 without an cduca.
ton.
1t would be pertinent to add, on this point,
that We are not in a position III our country
which will Justify us in contemniug the proper
helps and appliances to temn uc deicacy.
There are tendencies in the opposite direc-
ton, inherent in our political and social struc-
ture, which require to be watched and coun-
tervailed. The sex is more likely to run into
coarseness, than to rise to any ercess of refine
ment. 1t is easy to see what must follow, if
we infuse the adverse element largely into our
schemes Of education, aud Systematically train
them to keep an eye fixed, d all their studies,
IL on the appreciation Of the public!
1t were some mitigation of the evils of this
system, if il accomplished its protessed object
of supp lying satisfactory test of scholarship:
although, even in that case, its intrinsic bad.
ness would remain. But who relies upon one
of these examinations as determining the rela.
tive attainments Of the pupils? Every one
knows that the best scholars often appear to
least advantage, and rice rersn. Modest genius
bushes and falters, (asd We love it the more
for being so true to ilsef) while conceited
mediocrity reves in its gift OF tongues" and
tusses its plumes in triumph And what COM
pensation have you provided for these gentle
spirits whom you have compelled to stand up
before miscellaneous crowd, only that they
may encounter the pain aud modification vi
failure and that, too. in studies which they
perfectly understand? Are these sensiGilities
of the young heart thus to be lacerated and
trodden under foot, merely tina: Il school may
make an imposing display before the public ?
And this suggests still graver aspect Of
this uoxious system-its influence upon The
health of the pupils. You are fortunate in
your experience, Messrs. Editors, if you have
not personally known young ladies of rare
promise, who have either been disabled for
life, or hurried to premature grave, through
tha excitement and exhaustion induced by
these public examinations. II is mt long
sinca an Rlniah'a oAd accomplished teacher
told ME that she had known s@holnrs, for weeks
before one of these inquisiturial exhibitions,
ply themselves with stimulating drinks, that
they might be able to study by night as well
as by day. The amount Of mental torture in
Aicted upon large schools in this way, must
be greater than any pen has yet venlurad 10
describe. The time has come when that i'm.
personal, Heterogeneous public, which has
thus far consented to be used as IN instrument
of this cruelty, should demonstrate against it.
It has broken down too many constitutions
already. and consigned too many victims to
the tomb, or, what is worse, to the insane
asylum.
And who is benefited by this system7 Do
parents require it, in order to ascertain wheth.
er their daughters nre faithfully instructed i?
They must know (other considerations apart
that in this view, very little value is to be at
tached to these examinations. If they wish
to see the working Of the school in which they
are interested, let them visit it, inditferently,
during term time. Are public examinations
requisite in order to insure proper diligence
on the part Of the pupils? The teacher who
pleads this, makes a confession Of incomps-
teacy which ought to be fatal to all his pre-.
tensions. Is the controlling argument the
reputation Of the seminary is concerned ?
Then / cannot consent that child of mine
shall be subjected to the wrongs Of system
like this, for the purpose of giving eclat to
school.
have merely broken the shell Of a great
subject; one Messrs. Editors, on which !
have no personal interests at stake, personal
or relative, private or official. shall bc hap.
py if the cnrsory views have thrown out shall
have the effect, in any quarter, of abating tue