The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1875-07-09
Miscellaneous.


The education of woman is theme fruit
full Of thought. 1t has awakened the inter-
est of many gifted minds We have vol
lmes upon this interesting subject. And
yet it should ldbcconstantly held up before the
public mind, and urged upon consideration,
in order that woman may understand and be
prepared for her true position.
Alladmit that she should be well educated;
but to the question what constitutes good
education, various and conflicting answers
have been given.
The lady who can sing well, play we'll,
dance well, has, in the estimation of GER
tain class, "already attained" and reached
| the acme Of female accomplishments: though
she has not the slightest idea of how loafof
bread is made; or whether ten-pound roast
| should remain in the oven fifteen minutes,
| or as many hours or if the temperature of
said oven should be sixty degrees or six
hundred. Others err in the opposite eX-
treme and suppose that to be good cook,
and know how to keep house well to read
and write; to know enough of geography to
tell north from south, or to bound your
own State, enough of grammar to distinguish
a noun from an adverb-enough of mathe-
matics to purchase new dress, and not get
cheated in the change-is entirely sufficient
for woman. Well, this last is better than
the first stilldoes it not lack symmetry and,
consequently, strength and grandeur?
Education, to be perfect, must regard
woman as having body, an intellect. and Il
soul.
| am glad the day has dawned, and is
fast approaching its meridian, when she
dures to say that her "soul is her own" or,
at least, not the property of the husband.
Let each of these receive due proportion
Of care and culture, let each be properly
educated, then woman will occupy her true
and exalted spherc-she will be what God
designed her to be, the ornament, the COM
panion, the glory (not the slaye) of man.
BY the education Of the body, we would
! be understood to mean an acquaintance with
its structure, its laws, its economy, and its
use, and the application of this knowledge
to physical training. The body is fear
fully and wonderfully made and, if well
treated and taken care of, is eminently ad-
apted to be the companion Of the soul and
intellect during their brief stay upon this
earth. 1t is not the jewel, but the caskct,
the residence of the inner and immortal sell;
and, as such, demands the utmost care A
| large proportion Of the happiness of this
life is made dependent upon the body. The
minds resources, its knowledge, its acquaint-
ance with the external world, have to be ac-
quired through various bodily avenues. The
| eye has been given beautiful in its struct-
urc y among its many indispensable uses
10 take in the looks of loving friends, and
| the bright scenes of our ever-changing earth
audOf the bending heavens; the earto drink
in the tones of loved ones, and the many
voices of this living world. Superaddcd is
a system of appettes, which, when rightly
understood and wisely regulated and grati-
fled, are made to support the structure and
contribute to its happiness.
by no means would have the proper care
Of the body overlooked, in the great pro-
cess and privilege of education,
would have this branch taught in all
our schools, | would have it taught early
and thoroughly. | would have our teachers
understand, and be able to teach, the laws
that regulate its movements, and tend to
develop its health, strength, and beauty