The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1874-04-24

I nave learned SCHOOL uiclltiht AIM are
easily managed. Men argue that efii-
cheney and not sex is the required qualifi-
cations for these positions, and that wom-
en-, with view to matrimony, neglect to
fit themselves for the higher situations.
If this is true, then marriage, which all
eoncede to be productive of the greatest
good to man, must at the same time be
fraught with the greatest evil to woman,
inasmuch as as it tends to repress the
loftier aspirations of her mind and
divert her from noble mental develop
ments and philanthropic achievements,
by presenting to her fancy brilliant pic
lures of possible good in the future,
which, unless kind Providence smile
propltiously on her, she may never rea-
lie. If so, then right here is great
wrong to be redressed, in which women
as the sufferers ought to be the appli-
cants for amendment.
But it is not true. AS far as the
schools of the present day advance
pupils of both sexes, one is as proficient
and as thorough as the other; and if the
fullest instruction is granted TO the one
and denied to the other, who is at fault?
Not she, wean! Give her equal advan-
tages and see if the result will not prove
her mental equality. Thanks to prog
ress and reform, and above all to those
heroic ones who in the face of all oppo-
sition have waged unceasing warfare
on those customs which most repressed
and degraded woman, we see to-day the
best institutions of our land opening to
all, irrespective of sex, and consequently
we find women, even in the poorer ranks,
who have received liberal education,
and in point of efficiency are vastly in
advance of very many of the more ia
vored sex, and il might were with the
right and the truth, hosts of those who
now revel in fancied superiority might
well tremble for their laurels.
But do not get frightened too soon,
dear masculine friend, for il you havn't
more brain power you have more
political power, and so long as mans
rights office-holders need your votes to
keep their feeble structures from tumb-
ling about their ears, you need have nc
fears that you will not get the best posi-
tions and the best pay, no matter how
inferior you may be to your competitor:
of the gentle sex. This fact was clearly
proven and illustrated by the pO'Ccys
htat BE- in Portland, Oregon, only veal
ago, when lady whose known ability
and long experience IN teaching entitled
her to-the Principalship, was graciOusly
permitted 70 occupy that position on &
salary of $3.50 per annum, while one o.
the favored sex, a beardless boy, guilt
less of experience as he was of knowl
edge of school discipline, was disgrace.
fully seandalized by being assigned the
place of assistant on the meagre pay oi
$500, or just twice that received by
the Principals
But for once the pOUers had reckoneo
without their host The Woman Move
ment, as it it is called, was already be,
ing warmly agitated and such hue
and cry was raised by its advocates ant
by the people by which it is represented
that the powers were obliged to treat
and to prove their generosity made suel
unprecedented concessions as the follow
ing:
To the Principal ofthe High School imam 81 90
To the Principal OF the second room, same
school woman l---.-----. l'1V
To her assistant tman 20
To the Principals Of the Grammar Schools
(men) each J. 80
To their assistants (womenl -. 80
To the Principals OF the intermediate De-
partments (womenl enl------...------------------ 30
To the teachers OF all the primary grades
lwomenl l----....-.-.-------.. ----.- GO
Giving to the assistant in the first in
stance, on account of his superio
sex, a salary still equal to that o
the Principal, while in the second
the assistants being inferior in sex
receive one thousand dollars less than
, and little more than one-third as mucl
as the Principals who are men, Will
the mass Of teachers, teaching the vari
: Gus primary branches, are still restriete
to the same meagre salary as before
This hold to be incontrovertiblc evi
, denee of manifest wrong, and being bu
e a specimen of innumeraple cases, as
e every honest, right-thinking man an
: woman: Do you not see the justice {
j our cause? How long will you halt bt
, tween two opinions
y But to teaching, as to literar
: pursuits, all women are not adpates
o and many must solve the all al
D sorbing problem of bread aud but
n ter in some other way. Death, thi
n fell invader of homes, has brought desc
d Iation and loneliness to myriads {
Is hearts; and women, bereft of the
IS husbands and children, deprived Of
= fathers care, have yet as many necess
g ties as those who rejoice in the posses
e sion of both. Never before did unprt
e. teeted women and children in such va
l. numbers throng our cities as at IL
1t present day, pleading for protection al
ID support; and this accounts for the gre
is impetus which our reform has receive
he of late.
The devastating influences Of the la
At civil war are, and long will be felt
" thousands of crushed, desolate, ago
n lied hearts, that still in their utter hel
~ lessness must struggle for the meat th
IS perisheth, till, the last prayer uttere
" and the last tear shed, they be fire.
es from a life infinitely worse than deaf
,s Those Of you who are familiar wi