Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1867-03-26
EDUCATION OF M

be a prevailing scepticism in the minds
of a majority of men respecting the pro-
priety and necessity Of highly educating
women; but there are, on the other
hand, those who lament the fact that
the mothers, wives and daughters Of
this age do not possess those intellectual
attachments which distinguished the
ladies of the period preceding the
Elizabethian age, when Lord Bscon's
mother translated sermons on free will
into Greek, and his aunt wrote original
verses in Latin hexameters. At that
time the Latin and Greek languages
were the only languages that possessed
much of q literature, and Latin was to
Europe Of that day what French is to
this. The vast stores Of, English,
French and German. literature nov ac-
cessible had not then been developed.
But it i, not impossible for a woman to
be an excellent housekeeper and an
equally excellent scholar. Why has
she not as good a right as her brother
to read Plato or virgil-as good q right
as her husband to make her life a hap
pier one by drawing upon the
Of literature of every kind? There is
no possible claim which one person who
wears a coat and %pantaloons may have
upon the privileges according to the
student at our universities, which an
other one in petticoats and bonnet has
not also upon such institutions of learn
ing, or some others especially designed
for her wants and requirements.
The State gives her the same rights at
the district school and the academy as
are accorded to her brother. By what
rule of equity or consistency does it ex-
| clude her from such advantages at a
certain point, and dismiss her to the
household? Opinions may differ as to
| the intrinsic value of a liberal educa-
ton ; but surely there q be but little
room for doubling that if the State
deems it best to provide such for boys
within its borders it ought not to deny
it to its girls. A higher education for a
woman raises the standard Of education
in the family she rears. By this means
she becomes an important and powerful
agent in diffusing a liberal education
among the masses, and will thus in time
elevate the whole mental structure, and
will help to place at the command of the
many what is now only within the grasp
of the few. The policy which would
deny woman the right to a liberal edu-
cation is one of those relics Of barbar-
ism which deserves the condemnation Of
all thinking persons. And we are glad
to observe a disposition in the reform
atory spirit of the time to do away
with it.
The West, which often before has
been the pioneer in the march of social
progress, has taken the initiatory step
towards forwarding the liberal educa-
tional interests in regard to women.
Mr.. Childs, of the Michigan State Senate,
has done himself credit by presenting
to that body a bill to establish an insti-
tuition Of learning to be called the Michi-
gan Female College. The government
of the college is to be vested in the
Board of Regents Of the University.
They are empowered to receive propo-
sails for the donation Of suitable lands
with buildings, or with the means Of
erecting buildings at Lansing. The site
shall not contain less than twenty acres
and the buildings, or their equivalent
in money, shall amount in value to fifty
thousand dollars. The college is to
furnish the young women of the State
with the means of acquiring q thorough
knowledge Of the various branches Of
literature, science and art. The admis-
sion fee to the regular college course
shall not exceed ten dollars. Those
from that State who desire to pursue a
more general course Of study are to be
admitted free; and the daughters of any
soldier who died in the United States
service during the rebellion shall pay
no fee whatever. No charge for tuition
will be made to the young women Of
that State. The fees for others are to
be regulated BY the Regents. The Re-
gents have the power to elect and re-
nov the officers of the college, deter
mine their salaries, and have the same
general management which they now
exercise over the University and in
providing the course of instruction, pre-
scribing the books and authorities, and
comforting the diplomas.