The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1875-10-29

The Woman's Congress which VAS heid u
Syracuse, N. Y, October IS, IA and To- WAS IN
every particular q success Among 'ne oeie-
gates were Mrs. Julia Ward Howe, Miss Louise
M. Alcott (author of " Little Women'), lev.
Phoebe Hanaford, Miss Mary Eastman, Miss
Elizabeth Churchill, Miss Alice Fletcher, Miss
Abbie May, OF Boston, Mrs. Geo. L. HOFFMAN,
Mrs. NJ. p Hascali, OF New YORK, mrs. Nate
N. Doggett and Mrs. Ellen Mitchell, OF Chicago,
Mrs. Emma Molloy, Of Elkhart Ind, and scores
OF others.
Prof. Maria Mitchell, the President, In OPEN
ing the meeting, said "When | read these
books on Sex in Education and others OF
that sort, | say to myself, Where are the
ratios?' They tell us how many women have
died from over study, not how many have lived
and flourished in spite OF ii they tell us how
many become invallds from mental application.
but not how many from late hours and inanity.
We are generous toward the species-we are
severe with the specimen. We should not ex-
pect moro OF a woman than OF q human being.
Women are generous. recently met woman
naturalist whom 1 had long desired to know
learned that she had declined the offer OF
professorship in prominent college because
she knew man whom she believed would fill
it more ably. I asked her how many men in
America knew more than she Of the specially
to which she had devoted her life. She an
swered simply, Two thought her unsel6sh-
moss a greater achievement than all her knowl-
edge"
Mrs Edna Cheny, of Boston, read fine es-
say on 1.-The Place OF Women in Our Public
Schools" She said, " There are one hundred
and four thousand women teachers In our pub
lie schools. Our institutions require our schools
to be entirely secular. Jew and Catholic, Epis-
copalian and Methodist, must meet on equal
ground. But il our teachers are conscientious
earnest, and devout, what incalculable benefit
the pupils will derive, almost unconsciously
from daily association with such . character =
l said to a teacher Of twenty-five years ex-
perience In Boston, Can | overstate the lack
OF supervision Of our schools on the part OF
directors p He said, You cannot possibly do
that. even here in Boston Directors pay hit le
or no attention to the matter, for, If men OF
brains, they have something else to do. Hi
nois is spoken Of as having led of in the new
departure of employing women as directors.
Many OF the States-Iows, Michigan, Massa-
chusetts and Connecticut-have provided for
this by law. In London they beginning TO
understand this. and already 26 paid women
visitors are engaged in the schools. The great
problem of the educator now 10 this How far
can the public school combine with education
the special IN structon and training which will
fit the pupil to gain an honorable livelihood
In ten States of the Union women now receive
precisely the same wages as men for teaching
in our sch ools. / have known more than one
country to wn where the whole people were ele
waited and improved intellectually by the interest
taken by one clergyman in the public school
And believe that there is no way in which the
women o.; a community can do so much fol
their own towns and villages"
Mrs. julia Ward Howe, commenting upor
the excellent essay of Mrs. Cheny. made the
suggestion that women need not wait to bt
elected to school boards, but can just appoint
their own boards OF visitors. She also said -
> . Every one, 1t seems to me, should teach a
some period OF her life. Indeed, would 1t no
be we'll for US to stop and find out how well We
know anything, by trying to teach it, before
we launch out into professional life DO We
enough honor the teachers vocation? Do WI
realize that there is nothing better-that there
is no so up higher here?'
Miss Abby May, OF the Boston School Board
spoke briefly OF the courtesy OF said committee
that she had not once been made to feel tina
it was new or strange thing for woman tC
be there.
: Mrs. Perkins, Of Cooperstown, told abou
her effort, always to make her childrens teach
ers feel that she was vitality interested in them
She always questioned her children on the les
sons Of the day. Her daughter entered Vassal
at 10, and one hour after her graduation wa!
= engaged as teacher at high salary, and haC
lots OF offers to teach within week.
Rev. Phoebe Hanaford said that IN towr
4 OF Connecticut there was a school where tn,
directors couldn't examine teachers in German
and algebra, but lady in the town was full,
: competent. Ought she not to have been OF
I the Boards
Mrs. Churchll said, that to her knowledge
School Director came to her host, where sh
: was entertained recently, to get him to correc
errors In grammar III his report-that was IL
= Syracuse
Next week we will give synopsis OF som
0 Of the other addresses, not having room for
? full report in this issue.
s