Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-09-16
Our Girls mt School.

The summer vacation having passed. the
school children are seen upon the streets.
with their >atchcl>. AMI piles of heavy
books bound by leather straps. after the
fashion Of securing clothing needed in their
late summer travels These books are
what are known a> text books. and are
carried to and fro between the school room
and the homes of the children. for the pur
pose of enabling them to study between
school hours. Not long since we met 4
group of Young girls returning from
school. each with 4 package of books 50
heavy that we thought of sending to their
relief Il job wagon. Here were girls Just
at the time of life when growth is rapid.
and when the vital powers are taxed 10 de-
velop and bring into healthy action all the
functions of the body. Juggling home books
for evening study. Is it right thus to bur
den our girls? 1t is not so much the load
Of books that eNcitcS pity and apprehen-
sion. but the knowledge that they contain
the hard lessons which are to be studied
and puzzled over. during hours which
should be devoted to physical exercise and
and recreation Reader, have You girls 1T
school? If YOU have. may we ask if You
know much about the nature of the studies
or the number they are pursuing? Have
school regulations and studies upon the
health of your daughters? If YOU have
not, vou are nc@lecting one of the most
important duties which can possibly en-
gage Your attention? Our girls. for some
reason, do not possess that robust health
which is essential to their happiness and
usefulness in life they in general are not
strong enough and well enough to fill the
high positions of wives and mothers. for
which nature designed them. Their ner-
vouS organizations are so delicate and SEN
sitive, and their nutrition SO defective, that
if thev struggle into womanhood all the
iOvS Of life must be turned into sorrows.
What is the reason for this deplorable
/ physical condition Of our q irls2 1t is un-
Questionablv due in Il great measure to our
! vicious. absurd system of school education.
/ The schools are running the health of our
/ girls. They are overworked, they are bur
dened with too many studies. Oar com
/ petitive system keeps them in high state
/ of excitement. they are struggling to keep
up with their classes, they are locking for
ward to n time when they will graduatc
and in the presence of an admlring crowd
receive ut the hands of Il trustee or school
committee Il dipl0nr, certifying that
they have mastered philosophy. history,
the higher mathematics. Latin, Greek, the
modern languages, etc. School-days in
this age are days of excitement; the mind
is crammed, the body neglected. In our
view. the sooner our school system is brok-
en- down. or radically changed, the better
better for our boys, immeasurably better
for our girls
This struggle for diplomas should be
stopped; ut least, no girl should be allow
ell to toll for one in any school. We be
lieve the grtding systcm is Il IN stake. L
subjects pupils to the constant anxiety 0
examination day, when the classes will
which they are connected are to be, or no
| to be, admitted to Il higher grade. Thi
: nervous anxiety not to be left behin
2 amounts to positive anguish with som
young girls, and irreplrable mischief
t accomplished. 1t may be that the ole
I fashioned system is the best, the systel