The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-04-26

The Education or American Girls.
While it is true that no subject is more in
teresting and important than the education of
American girls, it seems to US that the women
who put themselves forward as the champions
of their sex in this and in other matters show
about as much discretion as the celebrated
knight of La Mancha in his great fight with
the windmills In looking over the whole
field of discussion of what in rather eu-
phuistic phrase is called women's right to
equal chances and opportunities with men, we
must confess to the singular lack Of intellec-
tual force exhibited by the s'strong-minded"
sisters. In spite Of their zeal in agitation
they have not bettered society in the slightest
degree-not even in the matter of the educa-
ton of American girls-while they have done
infinite damage in unloosing the old-fashioned
notions of domestic happiness and virtue
which ought to keep the first place in the
household. But for this we might laugh at
their Quixotic zeal and decline to answer the
fallacies of their teachings
These remarks are prompted by the singu-
darity of the reception OF DR.. Clarke's little
book ON "Sex in Education" The purpose
of this book was simple one-namely, that
if there is sex in mind due regard must be
paid to the conditions Of sex in mental train
ing. But, strange to say, ''the champions of
American women" met it with the true spirit
of bowling demagogism. If its reasonings
were sound it left no place for wild talk about
women's equal capabilities with men in all
the relations of life, and taught only the duty
of imparting generous culture, free from
.overwork and aimless ambition. Dr. Clarke
was at once answered by dozen different
women and the HERALD book table was
almost literally covered with books and
pamphlets upon the question.
We do not care to consider the arguments
of these women, though there are some of
them whose views are entitled to high respect.
We prefer, instead, to point out what we con-
slider true education for American girls.
Women are necessarily the creatures of home
and Of society, just as men are the crea-
lures of the workshops and the busy marts
of trade. It is not easy to make
either change places with the other, and even
If it could be DONE women would not find
happiness in becoming breadwinners for the
race. But the necessity Of actual acquire
ments, instead of the old time cant about the
value Of certain unnecessary studies as q
means of mental training, is imposed alike
upon both. German and French and knowl-
edge of art, music and literature are the true
basis of modern education, whether for boys
or girls. Beyond these are special studies in
which only few, as Agassiz and Huxley, and
Herbert Spencer, and John Stuart Mill, and
Mary Somerville, can hope to excel. But be-
cause Mary Somerville showed rare powers as
an astronomer it does not follow that every
girl must study astronomy any more than
that the clerks in the Broadway stores should
all endeavor to become philosophers The
true education of american girls is
in acquiring the ability to be as
much at home in Paris or Berlin as in New
York, and to rule in the kitchen with as much
ease as to reign in the drawing room. To add
to it such requirements as the capacity to
speculate in stocks in Wall street or to write
cattle reports for newspaper is to rob wom-
;anhood of its chief glory and society of the
sweet but high culture embraced in our idea
Of ladyship. But above all our American
girls need that education which is supposed to
be meant when physical culture is talked
.about-an education which teaches them to
.desist from all labor in obedience to natural
laws. Such requirements, obtained without
the prodigious efforts which SO many Of our
ssfemale seminaries" demand from their pu-
pills that the poor creatures may shine on
examination day, and productive of sound
minds in sound bodies, will make our Ameri-
can girls the best wives and mothers as we'll
as the most charming and beautiful women in
the world.