Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1870-09-10

Intimate noquaintanoa Of Q fashionable
female school Of a few years ago. The
great and avowed aim Of such institu.
lions was TO ht a girl ITO makeashow.n
But such institutions were the natural
fruits of the low and false standard OF
female education held by the public,
There was a demand and these estab-
lishments met It. Happily the demand
Is fast dying out, and with 1t all such
humbugs must die. -,
Such is the advanced opinion In all
intelligent communities now, that
schools for young girls must offer
something more than smatterings.
But this high appreciation Of the du-
cation of woman Is not q new discov-
ery. The public at large are but ad-
yancing to the heights long held by
some Of the wisest and best men OF
all christian countries. Education in
America has ever been more Temarka-
BILE for the width Of its compass than
its depth. At best 1t has been but
shallow. But here and there through
the agency Of q few fsr-seeiDg men
schools have been built up where girls
might be truly trained into educated
christian women. Happy the commu-
nifty where such men labored. No
where are our remarks more fully Illus
trated than at our own doors. Nearly Q
half century ago q few wise and good
men, noted alike for their learning
and llberality, their zeal and self-sacri-
hcing devotion to the causeof educa-
ton determined to build an Institution
In Columbia, that should be at once q
pride and a blessing to the whole do.
cese Of Tennessee. The work was
long and arduOus, but 1t was done, and
the COLUMBIA FElALE INSTITUTE
was the result. 1t took from the be-
ginning, 0orty-three years agol q stand
in behalf of female education far in
advance of the times. U~nswervingly
II held OH its high career, until the war,
doing in the meantime an amount Of
good work which may not be computed
by II ordinary measurement. The
The rude hand Of war, which spared
nothing becauseit was beautiful or use
full, or sacred, broke up the school ex'
%ercises of the Institute. But the roots
had gone down beyond the reach even
of wars desolating power, and peace
had scarcely settled on the land when
the Institute was revived under new
auspices, with renewed vigor, and, We
are rejolced to add, has been crowned
with perfect success.
In 1856, the Trustees of the Institute
prevailed upon the Rev. GEORGE BECK
FIT to take the charge of the school
Mr.. BECKETT Is a native of England
an Episcopal clergyman, an accom-
plished scholar, and a teacher Of TWEEN
ty five years experience, and possessed
of means. The result proves that NJ
better choice could have been made
Devoted to teaching from q sense o
christian duty, holding a lofty ideal o
what a christian woman should be, an(
how teachers should mould them, Mr.
BECKETT took hold of the Institute
determined to make it a model schOO
for educating young women in thu
most thorough and liberal manner
At once he called around him the very
best teachers that he could find, an(
year by year he has held steadily to hi
purpose. In 1867 he had the good for
tune to secure the cooperation of tn,
present Principal, Mrs. MARY NICHOL
son MARTIN, "a daughter of Judge A
, o. p. NICHOLSON Born and rearet
| amid the highest and best social infiu
ences of America; possessed of every
} advantage in training that ampl,
, means could command, and, NOR,
than all, born to teach, Mrs. MARTI,
; could not fail Of success. Under thi
. excellent management the Institute |
now fast developing the fruit of whicl
its ante-war reputation gave such ricl
= promise. The Institute building is in
| comparably the handsomest school ed
. iice in the State, and it is furnished an
: fitted up in excellent taste. SO that
| take it all III all, the COLUMBIA FE
MALE INSTITUTE Is without q superiU
< in the United States as q school wher
girls may get a thorough training in a
7 that elevates, ennobles and beautife
& the mind and character of woman.