Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1869-08-27

The rapid progress of our country in all
state of civilization and great individual
prosperity is beyond precedent in the his
tory of nations.
What is the predominant cause of this
| result 1 ascribe the inspiring principle
of American greatness to "the superior
character of our women" And 80 it must
be-, if this progress in civilization is of the
true kind, founded on the morality Of the
Bible. Woman is the appointed preserver
of whatever is good and pure and true in
humanity. She is the first teacher. Every
human being is submitted to her influence
at the period when impressions take root
and character receives its bias. Hence the
condition Of woman is the standard by
which we estimate the true condition and
character of the nation.
It seems hardly necessary to speak of the
peculiar adaptedness of female teachers to
accomplish this. If the training of the
intellect alone were the whole of educa-
ton it would be difficult to show that
WOLlhu 10 uOby ofCu lOI tllS, W
the other sex. But when the heart of
child is to be reached, and it's conscience
made sensitive, when its waywardness is
to be restrained, it's passions subdued, it's
confidence enlisted, and its feet led in the
right way, it requires no argum ent to prove
that woman possesses, in her gentle man
ner. her tender sympathies, her looks Of
kindness, her calm patience. and her
characteristic love of childhood, a special
and peculiar adaptedness for this delicate
and difficult work. What magic power
there is in the name of mother Where
lies the secret of that power 1t is far
deeper than the mere relation she bears to
the existence of her offspring. It is her
agency in the training of her children, her
watchful care, her all-enduring patience,
her self.sacrifcing love, a care, patience,
and love no less needed in the school
room than in the family, and alike efficient
in both.
The allusion just made to the agency of
| female teachers suggests another, to which
! I shall devote moments special attention.
| citation of the value of female teaching, and
| rapid increase, everywhere, of the pro-
portion of female teachers. The tendency
| to this result is now visible in these States
| in which education has made the greatest
progress. In Massachusetts, for example,
the proportion is as seven to three. The
! relative proportion of female teachers is
! increasing in all the New England States
! in New York, and In those portions of the
West where education has made the great
! est advances. It is one of the best evil
dences of educational progress great
fact full of meaning and full of PROMISE
W 10 hnr frv1n
ton in regard to the matter of education,
and the advances towards this result will
be just as rapid as shall be the progress of
public sentiment towards just conception
| of the true ends to be sought in education,
and the value of moral training with
! woman's elevating and refining influence
in their relation to these ends.
| Where shall teachers be found for the
myriads of children who must be educated,
| speedily educated, Or lost worse than lost
to their country? Nowhere in numbers
making any approach to adequacy, unless
| the y0ufeg aoOmen of the nation cone to the
| rescue. As regards our yoanq men, the
spirit of gain is the master passion of the
times and nowhere is it more manifest
than in those portions of the country where
teachers are most wanted. The field of
enterprise in our country is boundless; and
| lew QOUtY HteH CaA O0 louuu VIII W1Ll buIA
away from the glittering prize in prospect,
! to the sober. patience-.taxing, thankless
business of t" teaching school,"
But our young women aCtH come, they
must come, and enlightened public senti
ment will demand and suitably reward
their services for On them. it is manifest,
is to devolve the high duty of becoming
the educators of the children of the ma
| ton. 4 T.. aia,! -s
Spongecake was recently substituted
for bread at q Boston communion service.