New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-11-15
WOMAN'S OPPORTUNITIES.

TIE EhAn OF PEkICLES AND CHESTERFIELD
Insults OF THE CO-EDUCATION or THE
sEXEs-wOMEE TO CHOOSE THEIR OWN
STUDIES.
! A large audience assembled at Stein
way Hall. last evening. to listen 20 a sturdy de-
I ienso by Mr. Geo. Wm. Curtis OF the women OF the
present day, compared with those in Oil time,
and TO laugn &C the lecturers apt quotations andpungent
illustrations. The lecture was delivered under the
auspices ~ the General Society OF Mechanics and Trades
Of this city. by whose President Jas. j. Burnett the
speaker introduced.
Mr. Curtis prefaced his address by graceful alrson
the glamour which history aud the poets had thrown
the deeds sentiments OF ancient characters
sianclng heroic selfdcuia OF sir Philip Sydney. 800
years ago. pressing to dying soldiers lips the cup Of
cold water which be himself with mortal wound In his
breast had sought in % alleviate his terrible
thirst and claiming that 70 needed 600 years to make
heroic the sacrifice OF tho wounded at Getys
burg who died IN the agony Of thirst rather than suffer
bis comrade 10 abandon the gun. Passing from these
noble deeds of heroic the lecturer down 10 the
more worldly subject Of dress and fashoH, mailing
humorous comparison OF the present sentiment In
gard 20 that much considered topic with that which
vailed IN the good old times" abiding 10 the popular
shudder OF the social mOIaI-ts the extravaganza aud
frvoltY OF the danes Of fashion III she nineteenth
century, and THEN sOrrOwful assertions that these
things were IN the simple Old times He brought
up before the mind Of his audience 70 testify against the
assertion good Queen herself who died the happy
possessOr OF dresses and who with charming ineon
sistency left 10 the world which initiate heF last proca
nation against extravaganza in dress The lecturer then
plunged into the middle OF his subject with the bold de
ducton that what call the progress Of civiliza
ton Is simply the emancipation of human society from
the theories practices OF the good old times.
TYPES or WOMEN THAN THE GREEK.
lam not here, ne proceeded, 70 our own sins
and shames by those OF fathers and mothers but
when disheartened and dlsmayed by our troubles and
those II neghbors sigh for the repose OF the
past let MS remember that the greatest glory Of those
past times the discomfort with the practices which
drove the children Of that day find times stu better.
The mariner whom the human heart loves is not
the old Portuguese Italian seaman who ever
hugged the shores OF the safe Italian sea, but
the Genoese Columbus who went boldly out
into the ocean, pushing straight westward to
find shorter TO the East, sand added New
World 20 the oil. lAppause.l The past a good
time; yes, but the present Is better and the future
viii bee the best OF ALL one OF the prominent features Of
the better times Is the rapid opening OF the oppor
tunities for the education OF women. To-day, stand
in the ample halls OF great school for girls, hum
ming with intellectual activity, cannot but think that
II these girls whom you send the schools for the bene
no OF fhe highest education had been Greek girls OF
Of Perces, instead Of Americans Of tOday-n that
fairest hour OF what love call the finest cyiza-
ton their scholastic diligence would have branded
them with shame. II would have been accepted
as "a PROOF thal they were uttng themselves
for lives Of disgrace and dshonor In those
days the best educated and the most
piished women that Outlawed class.
Perices, the most finished the most cOurty OF Athe
Mans said that the glory OF not To be
talked " among either for good evil. Like good
heard excellent rule, but think in general II applies
10 ny own sex quite AZ much as to tue other. had
Pprces lived day, ne would have learned that %
ms Fiorence Nisht1eale and Harriet Martineau are Is
I L IurV
And come down through history You will ind
back into France tGrco centuries aSO You win
Der how young French girl proposed TO open school
for girls N her own native village. II seems very
/ Iudabe ambition. Her father believing that women
should and not heard calls upon four doctors OF
the law decide whether teaching glris - not work OF
the Devil, Laughterl The doctors decide after due and
wiser than the doctors testify their dsapprobaon By
prosecuting the young Nrl and st0niug her SCHOLARS
channel 20 England. There the shrewdest social Oh
of ni time, Dean swift Tells u t was constantly
| asked among whether 10 was prudent for man q
enVose MIe no "a % and reisb history books OF
travel moral entertaining di,courses. and 10 be
tOcrbe Judge OF the beauties IN poetry He says there
was an almost universal opinion against such accom-
pshueut tine wife, and for the reason that &c tended
To their brains, and make mem VAIN couceieG ana
preteutous. aud believe this was the true view 70 oe
taken nothing could d. more imprdeht Tor most OF
shan 10 marry an educated woman while sueI Is rue
tendency % wOuleus NE mat the women NCIt "HIus
Co remain ignorant that tney might oe PROPER mates loI
/ their husbands. lLaughierl Even a huhdfeu years
| century. we mud ideas similar TO this We
sd pIlgrlmS j
began provide schools for boys and grls were allowed
system was recognized, aud girls were allowed 20 at
/ tend the public schools ID the sumner
| EDUCATION or THE sExEs.
sueb was the preposterOus and Wnwomanly eagernes,
/ OF the sex for knowledge, that the ncautious City OF
/ Boston. after vigorous discussion OF .hiee years
resolved through ITS Common Council that there should
he high school for girls well as boys The eonse
Quences were deporable such was the reckless thirst
the immOdest zeal for Information ana knoWedse mat
| the girls Of Boston actually besieged the doors.
II was mousLrous. and finally tie horrible question
suggested itself the city fathers suppOse the Boston
| girs should come 10 know more than Boston men
Laughter In IS months the Boston HI N school was
closed because there was 80 great multitude OF eager
Forty years have passed since then. think the good
canon Of 81. Paul would be aghast at the rapidly with
/ which public opinion has Outstrpped these views.
! When the century begdh' u taiu COn'ehIPtlousiyi
Women do need 10 OG educated IN order 10 be good
asks T. H. then true that ignorant women MAKE TIE
best wives and mothers - lAppiause.l schools and
/ colleges for women are everywhere splngmg up
Objection after objection falls prejudice after preu-
| dice disappears Already an Imperative murmur NUS
where Dut ia study aud ii anybody asks the question
! Can q woman endure college course OF study T.
would Ike YOU TO take 100 Young men,
lace them up ana hang 10 20 pounds OF clothes on
their heads with rats and mice. aud stick 10000 hapns
into their heads, and II they can stand an ms as the
trv agree thai co-education is better for both
Already the bolts OF prejudice are softly sliding BACK 10
admit nobler because ulster, in the persons OF
| women
] woMIS TO CHOOSE THEIR EDUCATION.
| Vow a. 10 the question OF collegiate education for
women it is not proposed that women shall be com
peed TO 20 TO college only that they shall have pre-
csely the opportunity that men have, II they wish
/ 10 improve o.
Trere i. in England at this very day LADY ecturing
OIL, the Yoiug Womeu's Institute uDOn domestic ques-
lions such as Would prefer 20 use an earthen or an
ron pot upon your kitchen stove g. or How would you
children TOO Young 10 work y ana How would you
nm h nreri.ev the Kind Of education: the u