Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1867-10-08
Women in Society How They Should be
Educated

The Rev. .. b. rockingham writes
as follows in the Radical.
The bright women of Paris terri
lied Napoleon more than Major GEM
eral did, and to break up a coterie
was 10 him as important as demolish-
ing battalion. This power of cons
versation, this wit, this swift winged
speech was irresistible. Not one of
those women Of Paris had vote ;
not one of them had voice in any
legislative or popular assembly, They
were not writer's. They did not al
dress tie general ear But for all
that they were a power in the State.
same intelligence, the same self-pos-
session, the same adroitness Of LAM
guage, the same keen and piquant
w.t. they could in six months alter
legislation, SO far as it concerned
themselves. They could change the
laws OF properly tenure, the laws of
divorce, the laws which separate the
marriage relation.
They could make the king" rides
ulous; they could shame the magis-
trates into cleaning the streets; they
they could procure reform of the
markets; they could shut up every
m-shop rs tight as though sober
policeman stood at the door; they
coulu make the social vice disreputa-
be; men would be their willing SER
wants. Husbands, fathers, brothers,
lovers, acquaintances, would be talk.
cd over and talked under The par
Tor would be mightier than the cau>
Gus chamber, the public hall or the
pulpit. | am not exaggerating. When
ever women try to do these things
now, they do them. With little art,
with little accomplishment, with
smiles, intelligence, and but partial
earnestness, they do them. What,
then, might they not accomplish with
disciplined powers -?
But women can never hold this
high place till they appreciate the
character that is demanded for it.
Why should feminine influence be
almost always associated with CO
quetry ? Why should feminine power
be nearly synonymous with teaZing
and caolQgy ? Why should feminine
triumphs SO often call up the sugges>
ton Of wounded, wronged, or broken
hearts A? Why should feminine fas>
cination suggest the snake>like mag>
netism which misleads and kills? 1t
~ a shoD,n. II - N, ;noult n .uop,op
that it should be so. 1t is reproach
to womanhood that power SO tre-
mendous should be SO tremendously
misnsed; that lightness, toolishness,
sensuality, malignity perhaps, should
control that singular and wondrous
power by which the female sex hold
right of sway over the male. 1t is
time that this dangerous attribute
should be employed for noble uses; it
is time that this subtle, strange pow>
en- should be made amenable to rea>
son and conscience; it is time, at all
events, that taste and refinement
had their share in its direction.
Women should be educated for So
ciety, with as much purpose as any
thing else. Will you educate women
in order that they may gain Il liveli-
hood ? And will you not educate
them in order that they may become
power? Will you educate them for
usefulness in the nursery, the kitch-
en-, and the sick room and will you
not educate them for the parlor, where
all they are comes in play ? Will you
educate them that they may teach
children, and will you not educate
them to sway men Will you edu-
cate some single faculty Of theirs for
some high employment And will
you not educate the heart in the fine
work Of shaping character
OF women teachers, such as they
are, there is no lack. OF women
philanthropists there are quite
enough. For the present, sutfi>
cient number Of women lecture and
preach.
But where are the women who are
mistrcsses OF the noble art of CONVEX
sation, in which they are made to eX
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