The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1869-03-18
LFrem the GaIlIboIls journal.
School Teaching and Criticism
Mr.. EDITOR:

|
teachers is being agitated bytwo worthy
knights Of the rod. 1t is well that this
matter should be agitated, and it would
be better still could it result in a reyo-
luton Of part Of the present system.
Agitation is the life principle of this
world Without agitation the grandest
conceptions and the finest theories can
little benefit humanity. The heralds Of
truth must 60 forth into the world,
crying, "Hear, o ye people, and know
and understand that which concerns
your welfarel!" 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 ours7 A savage wilderness. The
Bible tells us that San angel went down,
at certain season into the pool of
Bethesda, and troubled the water, and
whosoever stepped in first was made
whole Of whatsoever disease be had"
Well, some one has stepped into the
Bethesda of school teaching, but it
couldn't have been an angel, for he has
made great splash and no one is cured
yet. On the con trary, 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 "mi ghtier than
the sword" and right valiantly are
they welding it. They are equal to
the conflict, and | 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 prac-
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 yirtue-modesty,
that which makes her respected and
loved" Does the young gentleman
remember the first few years Of his
existense, these precious years during
which the tender mind is nodded, and
started in the path which it is ever
after prone to follow, were passed under
the tutelage and guidance of a mother
"A woman? The first seven years o.
life are said to give shape to the whole
future character Consequently, tC
woman is given the fearful response
bility Of determining the destiny Of al
mankind. Mt
Thousands of eminent Men have
looked down from the highest pinnacle
of the temple of Fame upon the hum
BILE grave of a sainted mother, and ex
claimed, "All that l am and all that
expect to be in this world, l owe to tn
early training and judicious guidane
of my mother" And yet suppos
that his mother, and all these mother
have lost the "virtue-modesty' there
by; for surely they were teachers.
: If such be the effect of woman'i
home teaching, why forbid her to ex
tend her sphere of usefulness SOFAS II
: comprehend a broader humanity! !
have known many young ladies to ente
+ the field of education and do efectiv
service there, and then come forth wit
g mind strengthened and souls purified
by their efforts in behalf of bette
5 civilization. | have never known on
of them to be less in mien and modest
: a noble woman. A woman may sue
cessfully teach a dozen schools with
o less amount of 'forwardness" an
b ''brass" than "Clem" has used in a
$ average line ofhis article. Let woman
90 forth into the field of education
. already ripe for the harvest and waitin!
:, for the reapers, let her lead the yout
y of our land in the safe paths of wisdor
Il and instruction, and, if need be, t
further her laudible undertaking, let he
Is ''gain the good will of her pupils.
Affection is the woman's kingdom, an
4 she rules it by the law of love.
Jesus, the greatest teacher that eve
k blessed this iark world by his presence
overcame all things by the magic powe
s of genteness and love. Surely wha
was a virtue in the Deity, can not be
. vice in woman.
Woman has mission to fulfill in thi
+" life, and, alas. that mission is mos
ID frequently to sacrifice her labor and he
life to the good of others. She is
" producer, not consumer, a giver an
not receiver. And shall she be denie
" the right to scatter the seeds of know
edge among earth's famishing million
III Is there one on earth so hardened
+ heart would take away one cent of HI
Just dues, or add one drop of bitterne
to the sweetness of her reward?
My "brief experience" as teacht
has convinced me that female teaChe
are fully as successful in advancing pr
n pills in learning and department as ma
i teachers. have for some months bee
II connected with an institution in whiC
d female teachers are employed, and hav
. from time to time received into my d
4 partment children fresh from their j
hnannn and have ALWAYS found the