Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-10-16
MEMPHIS TENN THURSDAY EVENING OCTOBER I6 1878

most frequently fail, aud in which they
rarely rise above the level OF medioerity,
They all excel in history and literature.
The highest positions attainable at the
Cambridge examinations in modern
languages, natural science and mathe-
MATES, have also been reached; while
the advanced rules Of ordinary arithme'
tic seem 20 have been utterly neglected.
The conclusion, indeed, has been arrived
at by a high university authority in
Cambridge, that the subjects most easily
taught are these which seem to be the
most diligently neglected. while the
more complex subjects are carefully
handled, and great proficiency in them
is attained.
The general accuracy Of this opinion
seems to be beyond question when we
look at the facts upon which il is based.
But If it be true Of English education il
does not follow that the converse OF 1t is
true of American education. Never
theless, the points of difference in re-
suits in the two countries are curious as
showing the difference Of social instincts
that prevails. IL must be remembered
that the girls who form the bulk Of the
candidates at English university exami-
nations are taken from the best private
schools in the country; while our esti-
mates here are necessarily based on the
results of the best of our public schools.
Other features in the comparison will
suggest themselves, but not affect the
main conclusion TO which we must ar
rive, that while the highest branches OF
culture seem TO be the most attended to
on the other side, we look to the more
eminently practical. We might be led
into heightened consideration of the
causes that lead to this. The subject is
full of interest from both social and
national aspect.
But we must be content with simply
drawing attention to it for the purpose
OF urging the value of middle course
between the two extremes that are thus
presented. The education of a scholar
who obtains first class in Italian and
science, and who denies all knowledge
of common arithmetic, can no more be
said to be complete than that OF the girl
who graduates with head full of
mental calculations, and who can nei-
ther speak modern language fuently
nor explain the simplest of natural phe-
nomena. In England, clearly, the high
education of women, without descend
ing from its present elevation, needs to
be more substantial than first principles;
when in America, without departing
from the plan of making solid practi-
cal foundation, we should do well to
build up a superstructure showing some
OF that refinement which cannot but be
admired, and which we have hitherto
been justified in setting aside for the
more eminently useful. The standard
we indicate is high, but there is no rea-
son why it should not be reached. There
are no women in the world so quick wit
ted and clever as American women.
With the development of our society,
the time has come when the highest
standard ought to be reached; and,
therefore, while we do not commend the
Cambridge University examinations as
an example for close imitation, they
are, nevertheless, useful for pointing out
the dangers to be avoided and the higAts
to be attained if we would make the ed
ucation of women as complete as we
can.