The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1873-08-14

be educated largely u nome. her ecnOOI
education should be az much as possible
under the immediate watch and care OF
her parents. And when she goes away to
the seminary or the college, she should
find there the nearest possible approach
to the arrangements of home and the
family circle.
Turning now from the physical to the
mental constitution, none will deny that
tive than man. She sees by intuition
what he proves by argument or estab-
fishes by demonstration. She has mere
taste, more feeling, more fancy, perhaps
more imagination, but less reason and
Judgment. Hence she requires a system
Of education which will develop the
powers in which her superiority lies, and
at the same time supply marked Ceficien-
cies, strengthen points of positive weak
ness, and, 80 far as there is q manifest
want of balance, restore the true equi-
poise. For the latter purpose, perhaps,
there are no better studies than mathe-
mates, logic and philosophy-in word,
the sciences both of matter and OF mind;
since it is the Office of science to weigh
and measure, to prove and demonstrate,
to find and fix the equilibrium, whether
in the material or the spiritual universe.
For the former purpose-that of develop
ing and disciplining the powers in which
woman naturally cxcels-rhetoric, bellies
lettres, language, literature, art, are GER
tainly better adapted. And in the higher
education of woman, cannot but think
that literature and art, rather than sci
ence should have the preponderance.
Science lays a solid foundation, but art
should build and finish the superstruc-
ture. Mathematics are the framework of
the universe, but life, love, reason, speech,
music, poetry, constitute its beauty and
glory-nay, they are its informing soul
and its speaking features.
We are well aware that wOman's sphere
is, much of it, disputed territory, and that
we are here entering on the great battle
ground Of the age. Yet one point, l
think, will be universally conceded. All
woman's sphere. The family is her king
| dom. Her throne is in the hearts of father
and mother, brother and sister, husband
and children Love is the scepter Of her
power, and if wisdom may but share the
throne and scepter, there is no power so
great, no dominion so absolute, no realm
SO wide or SO happy as hers. The
character and conduct, the prosperity and
happiness, the health and life, of the
family are chiefly entrusted to her; and
since the family is the fountain of the
church and the state, she stands at the
fountain-head Of national as we'll as indi-
vidual, public not less than private, spir-
itual not less than temporal life. Woman
takes the individual, the community, the
state, the church-in a word, she takes
every person and every thing in the germ
and at its forming period, molas and
shapes it for good or evil, veal or woe.
Surely she needs all knowledge for a
work of such unlimited extent and un-
bounded influence. She needs, above all,
to know herself, her physical and mental
constitution, the laws of her own being,
health and life, for she is herself to he the
fountain of being, health and life to her
children. AS the mother and nurse of
the family, the first principles, at least, of
anatomy, pl ysiology and medicine are In
dispensable. AS the housekceper, and, in
a broad sense, the home builder, chemis-
try, botany and natural history, cookery
and domestic economy, the art of build
ing, also, and adorning-all those arts and
sciences which combine to make the
home convenient, the grounds beautiful,
the kitchen clean, the library cozy, the
parlor neat, the table wholesome, the fire.
|
branches of knowledge are needful to her
and happiness of the family than we are
apt to think. Indeed, they are quite
FUNDAMENTAL: and if they are ever to enter
and bless our homes generally, they mus,
be Introduced by well-traincd, educated
cultivated women. OF course, the mother
must be the teacher, and home the school
in which alone those arts that adorn and
bless home can be practically and fully
learned. But the seminary and college
can better teach the sciences which un
derlie them. And this is not the least i'm.
portant department in the higher educa.
ton Of women.
| Again, it will be universally admitted
that woman must be the center and soul
Of all good society. Without her civilizing
and refining presence, society always and
everywhere degeneratcs into barbarism.
Clubs from which she is excluded tend to
rudeness, roughness. cOarseness, cor
ruption of morals and manners Gentle
manners come from the gentler sex; pure
morals from purity and propriety in
woman. She is the standard of social
customs, the glass OF fashion, the rule oil
good breeding, the law Of refinement and
decorum the regulator Of society, the at.
mosphere with which public sentiment
rises or sinks like the barometer, and the
very clement in which public morals and
manners live and move and have their
being. II women were only sufficient
" enlightcd, united and decided
if women would always frown
upon those habits Of eating, drink
ing and smoking, which lead 10 intern
perance and minister to licentiousness-
if women would never walk or ride with
q smoke-stack, or keep company with q
beer-barrel or bottle of champagne
repeat 1t, If women were only sufficiently
enlightened, united and decided never to
smile, but always to frown, on these and
similar habits, from which they them.
selves are the greatest sufferers, banished
from all decent society, they would vanish
and disappear.
Woman, again, is born and divinely.
constituted educator. Hence, she should
be taught the science and art of educa.
ton. The schools for women should be
largely and in q broad sense, normal
schools, and what the Germans call pro-
@pdeutics should be prominent branch
of higher education. Woman is also a
born physician and nurse. Her quick
perceptions and lively sympathies, her
soft hand and nimble, noiseless footstep,
fit her prominently to administer as
we'll as minister to the sick and the suf.
fering, to visit the houses of others as we'll
as to stand by the sick-bed in her own
home, to have charge of hospitals in time
of peace as well as to extemporize them
in war and battle. Art, literature, Ian
guage and religion, as they are all es-
pecially adapted to woman's nature, SO
are they all daily more and more opening
and expanding before her as her sphere
of action. Miss Hosmer and Miss Ed.
monson are only the advance guard of a
great company of sculptors and artists OF
their sex who will breathe new life and
beauty into the marble, touch the canvas
with unknown tenderness and grace, and
make art subsidiary more than it ever yet
has been to truth and goodness, humanity
and religion. Uncle Toms Cabin has
shown how w0man's pen, moved by q
woman's heart, and guided by woman's