Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1874-07-11
WHOLE NO. 71S.
EDUCATION OF GIRLS,

6UUVAT1UN VI 0lklS. gat
The learned English clergyman and
Scientist, Rev. Charles Kingsley, on
this subject, says: ., . .i4ot
It is proposed, just now, to assimilaas
the education of girls more and more
to that of boys. II that means that
girls are merely to learn more lessons,
and to study what their brothers are
taught, in addition to what their moth
ers were taught, then it il to be hoped,
at least BY physioloQists and patriots,
that the scheme will sink into that limbo
whittier, in free and tolerably rational
country, all the imperfect and ill-con-
sidered schemes are sure. to gravitste.
But if the proposal be bona fde one.
then it must be borne in mind that the
public schools of England, and in all
private schools, I presume, which take
their tone from them, cricket and foot
ball are more or less compulsory, being
considered integral parts of an English
mans education; and that they are
likely to remain 80, in spite Of all recla-
nations; because masters and boys alike
know that games do not, in the long
run, interfere with boys work; and
that the same boy will very often excel
in both; that the games keep him in
health for his work; that the spirit
with which he takes to his games when
in the lower school is fair test of the
spirit with which he will take to his
work when he rises into the higher
school; and nothing is worse for a boy
than to fall into that loafing, tuck-shop-
Mounting set who neither play hard nor
work hard, and are usually extravagant,
and often vicious. Moreover, they
know we'll that games conduce, not
merely to physical, but to moral health;
that in the playing-feld boys acquire
virtues which no books can give them;
not merely daring and endurance, but,
better still, temper, self-restraint, fair
ness, honor, unenvious appreciation OF
another's success, and all that !" give
and take" of life which stand man il
such good stead when he goes forth
into the world, and without which in
deed, his success is always manned and
partial.
Now, if the promoters of higher edu-
cation for women will compel girls to
any training analogous to our public
school games; if, for instance, they
will insist on that most natural and
wholesome of all exercises, dancing, in
order to develop the lower half Of the
body; on singing, to expand the lungs
and regulate the breath; and on some
games-ball or what not-which will
insure that raised chest, and upright
carriage, and general strength Of the
upper torso, without which full oxygen
alton of the blood, and therefore gem
eral health, is impossible; if they will
sternly forbid tight stays, high heels,
and all which interferes with free
growth and free motion; if they will
consider carefully all which has been
written on the &c half-time system by
Mr.. Chadwick and others; and accept
the certain physical law that, in order
to renovate the brain, day by day, the
growing creature must have plenty Of
fresh air and play, and that the child
who learns for four hours and plays for
four hours will learn more, and learn il
more easily, than the child who learns
for the whole eight hours; if, in short,
they will teach girls not only to under
stand the Greek tongLs, but to copy
somewhat of the Greek physical train-
ing, of that emusic and gymnastic,"
which helped to make the cleverest race
of the old world, the ablest race like
wise, then they will earn the gratitude
of the patriot and the physiologist,
by doing their best to stay the down.
ward tendencies of the physique, and
therefore ultimately of the morale, in
the coming generation of English
women.