The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1873-01-30
Intermingling of the Sexes-Adyice to Young
People.


People.
The separation system of the French is fatal
to true love and marriage. Already it has OBJ
tained footing among US. Without tree
and intelligent choice there can be no happi-
ness A girl sees her future husband in a
drawing zoom. The ambitious mother, who is
in attendance as stage manager, has arranged
the programme. After three performances the
engagement is announced, and in due time the
ceremony is solemnized by the Church. The
couple are driven to their home, and then, for
the first time, the mask being removed, they
get peep at each other. That both of them
should soon set about search for agreeable
partners is very wicked, after their vows at the
altar, but we fear it will frequently occur:
Without perfect freedom of choice, true and
happy marriage is exceedingly improbable.
There can be no such freedom without oppor-
tunity fer intimate acquaintance.
Our separate schools have contributed much
to the destroying wall between the sexes. Du-
ring the awakening period, when the magma
ton Is most active, the sexes are carefully
guarded from each other in separate schools.
Considering the many years our young people
spend in school, this is fundamental mistake.
Some years ago we had supervision OF a
school for young men and women. Ihe desks
we're what is called double, each one accommo-
dating two persons. We placed young man
and young woman at each. Permission was
given the pupils to render such assistance to
their desk-mates as they thought profitable,
keeping the noise within bounds. But we did
not oftea check the hum and buzz; for as the
young people were being trained for life, and
as in actual life there is hundred times as
much noise as silence we should hardly have
felt at liberty to train their faculties in silence,
for use in noise. We only said, "Don't be too
noisy"
But this is incidental. What we wished to
bring before you is the striking influence of
this system upon the love passion. When
Thomas and Lucy first sat down together, they
looked and acted just as young man and
Young woman are likely to do when they first
meet. We need not describe it. You have
seen hcw they look and act. This soon began
to wear off, and in month the young people
acted to each other like brother and sister. All
that peculiar expression and manner which
you often see among lovers, and which you re-
cognize at a distance of three blocks, soon dis
appeared. With the new arrangements IN our
school there was more or less OF this all through
the room, but, as already stated, it soon gave
place to a social atmosphere which seemed
identical with that of home among brothers
and sisters.
Still further they were permitted to change
partners at pleasure on the first Monday of
each month. This renewed the "lovers" exhi-
bition little at first, but after three months
even this change of companions evoked no Wis
ible disturbance of the school work. But what
good came of it? 1t is just that question we
wish To answer.
1st. From the day this system wasintroduced
the school required no government. 1t was
like company of ladies and gentlemen in
drawing-room. There was no necessity for
rules ia the one case more than in the other.
3D. The average progress in our studies was
strikirgly enhanced. Stupid, coarse fellows,
who III company with men alone, would chew,
and erowl, and loaf, became bright, gentleman
ly and studious, and girls of light, frivolous
composition became earnest The average pro-
gress was greatly increased.
3d. The young men came to regard women,
not as charming creatures to be toyed with and
to be salked down to, but as brave, hard-work-
ing companions, competitors and equals. They
ceaseG to think of their bodies, and thought
only ef the quality of their minds. The young
women no longer looked up. to the young men
as chivalrous heroes, seeking opportunity to
die for their lady-loves, but as fair, honest hon
orable companions, whom it was pleasure to
know, and sometimes to conquer.
In a single year they came to occupy the
same attitude toward men with those girls who
have been reared in large family of boys, and
who. are rarely wrong in the choice, of hus'
bands: The girls who are educated in a sepa-
rate school are like. the "only child" who is
almost sure, if she has been brought up in Sc
cluscn, to fall into some trap. The young
men, after year in such school companion
ship, are like the young man with half dozen
sisters, who is sure to be wise Ill the selection
of wife.
In its bearing upon the most important in!
terests of our early life, there is no part OF our
education so vital as an early, large and inti-
mate acquaintance with many persons Of the
Opposite sex. What probability is there that a
young woman, an only child, brought up IN Sc
clusi0n, educated in convent, or separate
school, and who then, having finished her edu-
cation, sets up at home under the warchful eye
of her mother for husbapd-what probability
is there that she will be wise in her relations
with men? With no occupation save that of
catching beau, with imagination and emo
tions left to wander, is she likely to see through
the sham smiles and VOWS of an impostor =
Exchange
TIE DEGRADATION OF THE UNITED STATES
SENATE-If we should seek the reason of this
in aly single fact, we should fail to find the
cause. The degradation is more apparent than
the methods by which it was accomplished.
The disturbed and deplorable condition OF the