, 1866-07-13
sd. Yincent,s Acadent1.
WALLA WALLA. July s


WALLA WALLA, July 5th, 1866.
Ed. STATEsMAN:-The literary exercises of the
annual commencement of the Academy of the
Sisters, which took place on Monday last, July
the and, proved a credit as well to the comma
nifty Of Walla Walla, as to the Sisters, who de-
vote themselves with so much zeal. and earnest
ness TO the hard and laborious duty of educating
youth.
Phe ordeal Of public examination, through
which the pupils passed most cheerfuliy, and of
which they acquitted themselves with the rarest
success, proved that the young female genera
tion of Walla Walla, is in no ways behind that
Of any of the more advanced cities of our Union
either in point of talenr or ia educational faci-
ties. Their ready and accurate answers to the
dffcult questions put to them, and Whieh ranged
from the lowest to the highest branches of sci
enee, at the same time that they met the most
sang6ine expectations of the audience, showed
how profitable use they have rnadr oF theit
precious timei ana how highly qualified the Sis
tiers are, for the important and onerous duty to
which they have SO generously devoted them
selves.
The advantages Of good education are gufff-
ciently known not to need any comment but it
is not, perhaps sufficiently understood by par
ents, how much superior schools are to those
educational houses, where the youths of both
sexes are educated together.
The object which good teacher, who truly
bis pupils, should have in view, is, not only to
train the mind but also to form the hearts OF
those whom society has con6ded to bis care n
the passions and evil inclinations of the heart
are not subdued, if distractions are not care
tullyf as far at least as is possible, removed
from the pupil his mind will never reach high
degree Of intellectual perfection.
We base ourselves upon the above principle
as upon An axiom, which reason itself teaches
to even the most common mind aud which the
constant experience Of both the old sand new
world confirms.
Now, mixed school, instead Of being helm
in this regard, is more calculated 70 bring about
distra lions to the minds of its pupils, and to en-
kindle and nourish in them that kind OF uassion
to which the heart of man is SO. naIfch inclined
by his very nature, and which, by causing il to
set It's afections upon the natural world must
consequently tend to render the mind obtdse.
limited and narrow in its views. Has is but
too often the case, the two familiar and too free
intercourse of the two sexes, even in manhood.
proves source of evil and misery to society
and cause Of ruin to many, do YOU tbiukitless
peruicious to the tender youth, 10 vhbu1I an vet
the animal life reigns with more vigor, in pro-
portion as be has had less time to develop the
nooler faculties of his soul. Undoubtedly their
minds, instead of being taken up With their les.
sons and studies, will probably, unless human
natuee chooses TO- make an exception in their
Oe more intent upon pleasing their mu-
tual friends; distractions, as is apparent instead
of being removed or at least diminished. are
multiplied at every step and at every increass Of
number. Bodily peffections are perhaps more
an1iously looked for by the pupil than mental
Improvement, and consequently the first and
primary end Of education becomes in reality an
object Of secondary consideration.
What reason teaches. experience confirms:
Wherever education has reached its highest per-
fection, as we'll in the cities of the new as in
those Of the old world, mixed schools have been
superseded by separate schools; witness of
this, Boston, and all the principal cities of the
Unioni or, in fact, all the places where the want
of teachers does not force them to pursue a diff
ferent course witness, also, all the European
nations, who certainly in point Of education; are
not; to'say the least, our interiors.
FRIEND OF EDUCATION