Smyrna times., 1874-08-12


form, we hear of conventions, assemblies, etc.,
where the subject may be discussed and the
measures of the various advocates, after being
duly agitated and ventilated may be rejected |
or approved.
Just now, the subject Of Education seems to
be the popular one, and we have the Mammoth
Sunday School Teachers Assembly at Chau
at Detroit, to say nothing of the crowds of
Teacher Institutes, (botb secular and religious)
whose reports greet US in the daily papers.
When we consider the character of the edu-
Gators assembled at Detroit, we may rest as
sured that their words must have force and
that the influence of their convention cannot
be unimportant upon the subject they advocate
Perhaps no one subject discussed during
this convention, so recently adjourned, is pos
sessed of more interest to the popular mind
than that which seems to have had most in
terest for the convention, that is, the co-educa-
tion Of the Sexes. There were three very
thoughtful papers bearing upon this subject:
the first by DR.. E. II. Clarke of Boston, the
title of whose paper was 1.-The Building OF
Brain;" the second paper by Prof. Orton of
Vassar, on " Four Years at Vassar College :"
and the third by Prof. Hosmer of Missouri
University on the "Co-education of the Sexes
in Universities"
Dr. Clarks has already made himselfa mark
ed man by his paper on Sex in Education :"
since enlarged and published in book form.
By his remarks in that paper, he incurred
the displeasure of all the socalled "Womans-
rights people, who insist upon the identical
education uud career of the sexes, while the
thoughtful members of the sex who are asking
for womans true elevation, have pondered his
words in their heart, not prepared fully to &C.
cept, nor altogether to reject his conclusions.
In the paper before the Convention, he rel
terates, and attempts to establish more fully,
the position taken in his previous paper, viz
that the co.education, by which he means the
identical education, of the sexes is an injury tc
both.
Prof. Orton reaches nearly the same conclu
sion and Prof. Hosmer, the only importan
speaker in the convention, who could be claim
ed by the co-educationists, only admitted it a
necessary evil. Stating that "the argument
of the good effect of co-education had beer
overdrawn," he yet claimed, that, as the tim
had come when many women were insisting
upon liberal education, while the endowed
Universities were alread arranged for the Sous
the only practical way to secure this libers
education for the daughters of the republic
consisted in throwing open the doors of th
now-existing Universities to the sex that ha
been hitherto debarred
Judging from the tone of these papers, W
inter that the most advanced minds anon
American educators do not deem Coeducatio
of the Sexes desirable, but prefer that th
special needs of the female sex shall be m,
by special curriculum and special plans
study.
Let this grow to be fully understood and
will soon cease to be " necessary evil Fl
women to gather with men in the Universiti
and Colleges of the land, to partake of dish,
prepared with a special reference to the ma
culine mental appetite and the masculine me
tai needs. No, the fathers and brothers
this republic are too generous for that; al
special Colleges, like Vassar, as thorough al
as liberal in their course of instruction as Hs
ward or Yale, shall spring up over the lal
where the sweet girl graduate" shall be Or
pared for duties which shall make her n
mans rival or competitor, but his bless
help-meet' even though she may walk
solitary path through life and never claim t
title of wife and mother; or, when that nc
blessed relation awaits her, may fulfil its dut
far more thoroughly because of the spec
preparation which has developed the best
her womanly nature.
Has this paper any lesson for the people
Sny I-4 Arc we, as community, as deel
interested in the general subject of educate
as the people in other parts of our comm
country? All honor to those in our mic
who are doing their level best" in train
!" the young idea how to shoot" Is it III
fault that their efforts are only partially succ
ful, or ours, who compel them to teach,
over-crowded rooms. greater number of
pills than any one teacher can manage W
ease or success2
Look at our houses of instruction is it ,
wonder that the pupil who comes to them,
bright sunshiny day, should dread to en-
the dismal places, since the only really EN-
ful thing about them is Gods blessed sunli
on the outside?
What are we doing for the higher edl
tion OF either sex? As community, nothi
Say that among the most advanced pu
In the public school, are few who nigh
preparing for College, and admit that the te
ers in the higher departments of those sch
are qualified to give them the necessary b
where shall they find the time amid the u
pupils who are claiming their instruction, '
out neglecting the great body of their pul
But private enterprise has establishe
Seminary In our midst. Public enter
with larger command of capital could
done it far more thoroughly, but let u
thankful for what we have; let us RENE