Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1869-03-04
OHIO, MARCH 4, 1869.
The Journal.
THE SCHOOL QUESTION.
lForthe Gallipolis Journal
School Teaching and Criticism.
Mr.. EDIToR:-

COuiu ~ iOSuie III re- OlutlOH Oi par
of the present system.
Agitation is the life principle of this
world. Without agitation the grand
est conceptions and the finest theories
can little benefit humanity. The her
aids of truth must go forth into the
world, crying, "Hear, Dye people, and
know AMI understand that which con
Germs your weIfarel' Our Savior was
an agitator, Martin Luther was an ag-
itator, Washington and that noble army
of Patriot ancestors were agitators.-
Without the changes effected by these
great Princes of radicalism, what would
now be the condition of this fair land of
ours? A savage wilderness. The BIZ
Bile tells US that "an angel went down,
at certain season, into the pool of
Bethesda, aud troubled the water, and
whosoever stepped in first was made
whole of whatsoever disease he had. :"
Well, some one has stepped into the
Bethesda of school teaching, but it
couldn have been an angel, for he has
made great splash and no one is cured
yet. On the contrary, pure woman
hood has received another wound, more
poignant, if possible, than ever before.
| am not an advocate of woman S
rights, in the popular sense of the
term. They have themselves taken up
that weapon which is ''mightier than
the sword" and right valiantly are
they welding it. They are equal to
the conflict, and l bid them God speed.
But they are contending for rights
which have never yet been conceded;
little dreaming of an enemy in the rear
striving TO wrest from their grasp the
meager pittance already granted them
the right of self support. The prae-
tice of only half paying woman for her
labor is common. But the doctrine
that she should not be employed at all
must come from the inner courts of
tyranny itself. This doctrine your
correspondent, "Clem," has clearly set
forth, and has given his reasons there
for. First, he says, ''she may claim a
part of pedagogical honors, but can
lay claim to none of that virtue-mod-
esty, that which makes her respected
and loved" Does the young gentle
man remember that the first few years
of his existence, those precious years,
during which the tender mind is mold
ed, and started in the path which it is
ever after prone to follow, were passed
under the tutelage and guidance of
mother--a woman? The first seven
years of life sre said to give shape to
the whole. future character. Conse-
quentfy, TO woman is given the fearful
of determining the des-
tiny of all mankind.
Thousands of eminent men have
looked down from the highest pinnacle
of the temple of Fame upon the hum
bic grave of sainted mother, and ex-
claimed, ''All that l am and all that |
to be in this world, l owe to the
early training and judicious guidance
of my mother" And yet | suppose
that his mother, and all these mothers
have lost the "virtue--modesty" there
by; for surely they were teachers.
If such be the effect Of woman's
home teaching, why forbid her to ex-
tend her sphere of usefulness so as to
comprehend a broader humanity? 1
have known many young ladies to en-
ter the field of education and do effec-
tive service there, and then come forth
with minds strengthened and souls
purified by their efforts in behalf of a
better civilization. | have never known
one of them to be less in mien and
noble woman. A woman
NAV successfully teach dozen schools
with less amount of ''forwardness"
and "brass' than "Clem" has used in
an average line of his article Let
go forth into the field of educa-
lion, already ripe for the harvest and
waiting for the reapers, let her lead the
youth Of our land in the safe paths of
wisdom and instruction, and, if need
be, to further her laudible undertaking,
let her ''gain the good will of her pu-
pills." Affection is the woman's king
iom, and she rules it by the law of
owe.
Jesus, the greatest teacher that ever
blessed this dark world by his presence,
oyercame all things by the magic pow
er of gentleness and love. Surely
what was virtue in the Deity. can
lot be vice in woman.
Woman has mission to fulfill in this
ife, and, alas! that mission is most
frequently to sacrifice her labor and
ner life to the good of others. She is
4 producer, not a consumer, a giver
and not a receiver. And shall she be
lenied the right to scatter the seeds of
snowledge among earth's famishing
millions? Is there one on earth so
hardened in heart would take away
'ne cent of her just dues, or add one
lrop of bitterness to the sweetness of
Der reward?
My "brief experience" as teacher
has convinced me that female teachers
are fully as successful in advancing pu-
pills in learning and department as male
teachers. l have for some months been
connected with an institution in which
female teachers are employed, and have
from time to time received into my de-
partment children fresh from their in
huenee, and have always found them
to be the most orderly and diligent of
my pupils.
Among all the bright spots of my life,
look back upon none with more real
pleasure than upon those scenes of in
nocent enjoyment at some woodland
plcnic.k | wonder not that little chill
dren revert to these seasons of relax
alton and enjoyment with pleasure, and
remember the kind school-mistress with
glowing gratitude,
As for eMiss P's kissing George
IL L Il