Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-02-12

Is possible TINT not single senator would |
receive first grade certificate, and that
many would receive none Mt all yet do not
these gentlemen know something about real
life, its necessities, and the knowledge | I
most demandsp We admit the difference
between the work Of the teacher and that of
the judge, and heartily desire that instruct
ors shall be thoroughly qualified for their
work. The only point we urge is, that the
knowledge Of language which the judge uses
is vastly different from the knowledge of
language which the examiners set forth, and
that Of the two, the former is tho most prnc-
teal, and therefore the most preferable. It
would not be so objectionable If the art were
taught first. and tho philosophy of the sci
ence, rs explanatory of the art. were taught
afterwards, when the mini of the pupil il
more matured; but, judging by results, the
majority of American students rarely attain
skill in the art, either during college life or
at the average common school. The system
imperativoly requires the attending physi-
clan to use daily just such instruments rs
grammar, which combine n greater variety
and power of torture than adults realize;
and it is not surprising If the patients suffer
accordingly. Now, what force less than
that of the vitality of nature itself could pre-
serve the human intellect under such treat
ment2
The system is certainly bad enough for the
boy even. with mind stronger than quartz
mill, and steadily sustaining body; but
how much worse for the girl with mental
organism more delicately constructed than
any chronometer, aud dependent upon u
body that periodically varies in vital forceP
Differences of both mind and body, that are
us marked rs those between the birch tree
and the rose, are wholly ignored The same
nutrimont, discipline and stimulus are ad-
ministered to all alike. Yet the average
girl is more conscientious student than the
average boy. She is more sensitive to praise
and blame; and is more ambitious, espec ial-
| ly, when daily competing, on his own line,
with one supposed to be her intellectual SUI
| perlor BY this system, her stronger per-
ceptive power, so far from being trained us
the florist would treat u lily, is corrected"
by pure mathematics and argum entation.
Her faith.power. which accepts truth US the
| lung accepts AR, Is trained, not with the de-
sign of enablug her to discriminate between
fact and falsity, but chiefly for the purpose
of showing her 1ohy received facts are facts |!
And the dominant power of her nature, that
which most distinguishes her mind from
mans and which most constitutes her
strength, beauty and glory-the power OF
loving truth just for its own sake of freshly
robing it in shining vestments of innocency:
of browning it with sparkling gems Of puri-
ty; of breathing into it the very soul of
glowing sympathy with the wcaried and
fainting ones in daily Interesting, vivifying.
cheering them anew; this grand power,
wrought of God, best translating God to
men, and gentlest yet strongest in its woolng,
Is fed upon II diet Of antique dates "A.
D." and B. c." is exercised by fossil
itic strolls with the vivacious icthyosaurus /;
and sanctiIied by pensive medtations upon
the untimely death of the noble megatheri-
um, cut off, in the flower ofyouth, but fow
billions of years since Is it not surprising
that so much of fcnininess, and so little of
masculinity, exist in these graduates? And
can we do less than halt, in genuine admira-
ton, before the grand reproductive energy
of woman's mental nature, which, after
years of such treat ment, so easily regains its
own line, and so quickly and perfectly forgets
inutilties most h,boriously acquired? Hap
ply were they who were clad in the water
proof of "dullness," and right cosy were they
who nestled in the warm furs of "stupidityn'
1t is nature, and not the bungling, yet well
| of of tn al afa
girls into manlness, which we should CRATE
fully thank for what remains of the woman
illness of woman, and to which we must
tlust for its future growth and luxuriance.
Our answer has thus been given to the
question, whether the course devised for the
education of man for professional work, is
best for the education of woman Tor wo-
mans work MS wife and mother. We
claim that this work is essentially different
from mans; that it requires different knowl'
edge and Skill that her mental organism is
different from his, either radically or in the
mode of its action or both; that it should be
differently fed, nourished and exercised
that the practice of curbing faculties natur.
ally dominant, by seeking TO force other:
, relatively dormant, is against the practice Of
nature in physical growth, and only submit
ted to by plant and pupils powercss to help
themselves and that Its effects are sloughed
OIL ns speedily MS possible when the treat
mcnt ceases; that the faculties should be dc
veloped in the proportion OF their domi
$ nance, and rs insepar,lbe members of /
5 completed organism suffers with it; that tn
controlling object should be to develop tn
best power and skill Of womanliness alonl
Y the line of womanly nature, and that thi
. line is the shortest rs well rs the easiest
that knowledge should be presented In th
J forms most grateful to the taste, and no
: pill-powdered with dust, or gritty witt
$ pounded glass distractions, or nauseous Will
!, cloying useleSsness; that skill In given arr
+ is more essential than II philosophic compre
d. hension of its science; that no system OF ie
o male education, guided by ordinary common
Il sense, and really aiming to prepare the gil
= for woman's daily work, can be less illog
Il cal than the one now generally followed
, that no mistakes made in any reasonable Ell
= fort to determine the line Of womans nj
G ture, and to adapt educational methods an
t agencies thereto, can, by any possibility, b
= more wasteful of the pupils energies, q
; mere hurtful 90 her nature, than are thos
= crystalized in, and daily perpetrated by, tn
IS prevailing system; that those educators an
: physicians who have paid the closest after
= ton to its tendency and effects, are best sal
: siied of its unftness for the coming generf
,. ton; that it is continued in use, not becaus
/ of its merits, but because tho market, by tn
t voice of usage and fashion, demands it; tha
o it is a sham, a farce, and II Fraud that who
!, the American press and the American pull
# lie, guided by their own experience, and b.
: the testimony ofthe best family physicians
n who. because of u broader field of observu
It ton. are more competent Witnesses tina
s the professional educator, fully realize tn
Q nature organic tendencies and actual re