The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-10-27
EDUCATIONAL REFORM.
THE DEFECTS OF OTR SYSTEM OF
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
co-Educatlon of the ss1es.-No. 10.


PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
Co-Education of the sexes.-No. 10.
The existence of two races in our midst
necessitates the provision OF two sets of public
schools, one for each but further division
OF these into two other sets, one for the boys
and one for the girls, is not necessary and Is
not even to be desired. 1t is best that tne
sexes should be co.educated. | know tnat
some of my expressions (for instance, the one
implving that women, as we'll as men, should
be upon the State Board of Examiners, and
the statement OF my conviction that, just as
at Ooerlin College, Ohio, and Michigan UniVer-
sity, and other fourishing institutions, both
sexes attend the same lectures in the same
lecture rooms, 30, universally, the co.educa-
ton of young women and young men is posi-
Bile and certain to Gomez may have surprised
my readers. The reason may be, that have
stutied this subject and the tendencies of
Christianity and Of the age, and they,
perhaps, have not 1t shocks nobody to
see wonen, as we'll as men, listening
to q sermon together in church. 1t WILL in
course of time, shock no one to see women
and men listening to scientific lectures to-
gether. For science, the handmaid of Christi
anity, is becoming part OF the religion OF the
world, and its students, priests that the world
will acknowledge. This matter so far as 1t con-
Germs young men and young women, need not
be settled at all, however so lar as our subject,
.6chools and co-educating boys and girls, is con-
Nf
gan, Tennessee and Missouri have all tested
the latter question, and now build their school
houses and arrange their Fairgrounds for the
purpose Of co-educating boys and girls. They
find it possesses many advantages over the
monastic and convent system, which has Its
origin in the view of several relations that
prevailed In the middle ages. That view still
prevails In the East, where even brothers and
sisters are studiously kept apart, which, sure
ly, no one in our State approves. Our old-held
schools proceeded on much better and truer
principle. What it is, has been 90 admirably
set forth by Superintendent W. F. Harris, of the
public schools of ST. Louis, Missouri, that pro.
pose now to close the subject of educational
reform, briefly touched in this series of papers,
by quoting at length from his report OF ls6s-70:
That which theory establishes. and expe-
rience veri1es may be safely followed. Tne
co-education within ne limits of certain ages
and within certain sections OF the United
States may be considered approved by the
twofold demonstration OF theory and prac-
tice. within fifteen years the schools Of St.
Louis have been entirely remodelled on this
plan, and the results have proved 80 admira-
Bile that few remarks may be ventured on
the experience they furnish. The co-educa-
Ia fn hory hot
te. classification, and, at the same time,
8 larger classes. While 1t Is conceded by oppo-
nents that primary schools may be mixed to
advantage, they oppose the system for schools
of higher grade. Now, what Is singular In
our experience is, the fact that our high
for classes above the primary, and from the
high school the system has crept down
through all the intermediate grades Wnat
had been found practicable and satisfactory In
the highest grades could not long be Kept
skay from the lower.
p Good manners and discipline have con-
tinually improved with the adoption of mixed
schools. Our change In st. Louis has been so
gradual that we have been able to weigh with
the utmost exactness every point of compari.
son between the two systems. The mixing of
the male and female departments OF school
tas always been followed by Improvement IN
discipline; not merely on the part OF the boys,
but on that of the girls as well. The rudeness
separate at once gives place to self-restraint
in the presence Of girls. The prurient senti-
mentality engendered by educating girls from
boys-it Is manifested by frivolous and silly
bearing when such girls are brought into the
society of those of the opposite sex-this dis
Its place quiet self-possession reigns. The
consequence Of this Is q general prevalence OF
milder forms of discipline. Boys and girls ori-
ginating- ccording to Natures planIln the
same family as brothers and sisters, their cul-
ture should be together, so that the social In
stincLs NAV be saved from abnermal diseased
action.
8. instruction Is also greatly improved.
Where the sexes are separate, methods OF In
gtruction are unbalanced and gravitate con-
tinually toward extremes that may oe calleo
masculine and feminine. The masculine ex-
IRENE Is mechanically formal 1ing in the low
est shape, and the merely intellectual train
ing on its highest side. The feminine ex-
treme Is the learning .by-rote system on the
lower side, and the superfuity OF sentiment In
q counter-check; and 1t Is only through their
union that educational methods attain COM
pleteness and do not foster one-sidedness IN
the pupil. We find here that mixed schools
are noted for the prevalence OF certain
healthy tone which schools on the separate
system lack. More rapid progress is the con,
sequence, and we find girls making Wondertui
advances even In mathematical studies, while
BOYS seem to take hold of literature far better
for the influence of the girls.
4. Individual development Is, as already In
dicated, tar more sound and healthy. 1t has
been found that schools kept exclusively for
boys or girls require much more strict survell-
lance on the part OF the teachers. The girls, con-
fined to themselves, develope the sexual ten
sion much earlier. their imagination being the
reignng faculty, and not bridled by intercourse
with society in Its normal form. So 1t is with
the boys on the other hand. Daily association
in He classroom prevents this tension and
supn}ies its place by Indifference. Each sex
testing Its strength with the other on an INTEL
lectual plane In the presence OF he teachers
each seeing the weakness and the strength OF
the other-learns to esteem what Is essential
at its true value. Sudden likes and disllkes,
capricious 1ancies aud romantic ideals, give
way for sober judgments, not easily deceived
by mere externas. That the sexual tension be
developed as late as possible, and that all early
love affairs be avoided Is the desideratum,
and experience has shown that association Of
the sexes on the plane of intellectual contest
is the safest course to secure this end.
The programme promised in my first paper
has now been fulfilled, and propose no more
to trespass upon the attention of the readers
of TIE NEWS. No longer resident of my
native State, have looked across the Savan-
har