The daily Argus., 1874-03-16
Matilda Fleieher.

This eloquent platform speaker arrived
at the Harper House Saturday, remained
over Sunday, and left this (Monday) morn
ing for Beardstown where she is announc-
ed for lecture this evening and to-mor-
row evening. She was on one of the trains
recently snowed-in for three days
near Fort Dodge, and her descrip-
ton of the scenes during that
time give one vivid idea of the dangers
encountered. Since she engaged in pub
lie life her home has been more in Wash
ington, d. G. than anywhere else. True,
Iowa claims her as one of her children,
but Illinois objects to an exclusively Iowa
claim, because she was born in this State,
though Iowa has been her home from child
hood. She is emphatically true type of
Western woman and is zealously engag-
ed in many good works for the improve
ment of the Western people. At present
she is working to engraft upon our COM
mon school system instruction in some of
the industrial pursuits of life as tending to
give dignity and honor to labor and skill in
the rising generation. That our readers
may know something of her plan we pub
lish, below, her memorial, presented to
the Iowa legislature few days ago:
To the Honorable. Senator's and Repre-
sentatiues of the Fifteenth General As
enablu In common with thought,
full and patriotic people OF all
parties recognize that the true purpose
of education is to train the individual tor
successful and useful life; that mental
training alone inclines the minds OF the
young largely to theoretical, professional
and ornamental life, and wakens contempt
for the worthy and necessary achievements
of manual labor and mechanical skill /;
that industrial habits must be formed ear
ly in life to be effective and permanent
that the lack of industrial training results
in speculation, consequent defaulting and
wide spread dishonesty.
|, therefore, do most earnestly entreat
your honorable body to enact law pro-
viding: lst, That it shall be the duty OF
the Superintendent of Public instruction
and his subordinate school officers to intro,
duce and sustain an Industrial Exposi-
ton in connection with each ward and dis
trict school in the State, End. That these
expositions shall consist Of useful articles
made by the pupils, such as sewing and
cooking of all kinds, knitting, crochetinp
and drawing, iron and woodwork of all
kinds-from plain box or a horse shoe to
house or steam engine in miniature
also all other useful articles known to the
1 ,I,,.S r,ol haf, 1a nkal
| by the children, together with all farm and
garden products in their season that are
the result of their own toll. Sd, That the
children be required to explain the use and
method of their work and kind and garden
products. 4th, That the parents and
friends of the children be allowed and re
quested to be present. 5th That orna
mental work shall be encouraged by some,
thing useful made by the pupils 9th
That these expositions be held in the
school room upon a school day as often as
once month and not oftener than once {
week. Respectfully,
MATILDA FLETCHER.
In pleasant interview with the lady
last evening we were particularly impressed
with her earnestness in the cause of educa
ton From Beardstown she goes t.
Springfield to ask our Legislature to con
slider her plans for the improvement o
boys and girls in the West. She carrie
letters of introduction to the Governor, tn
State Superintendent of Instruction, ant
prominent members of the Legislature, an,
we are sure she will receive respectful con
sideration from all.