Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1877-11-16
Correspondence.
Lctter from Roaton.
BosroN, Nov. 8. 1877

not Ouly lne resluentS OF lIns lnteuectuAl Guy,
but the entire Commonwealth. One young
girl, Miss Helen Magill, daughter of president
Magill of Strathmore college, Pennsylvania,
went through the entire Latin school course
and aftorward graduated with honors at the
Boston University. She stidied Greek, like
wise SNnscrit, became proficient in both and
neither lost her health or womanlncss nor
became involved in any scandal" and she
stands to-day an unanswernble argument in
favor of co-education and an indsputable ref
utation of the arguments employed against it,
Facts are awkward things, and Miss Magill is
very well developed and healthy one, that
they can neither set one side nor overlook
She is young, she il pretty, with shining blue
eyes, soft brown hair. n trim little figure
which she attires with charming taste, n mouth
which curves into sweet smiles, and will not
grow severe for all its conjugating of Greek
verbs, declining of Latin pronouns, and read
ing Sanscrit sentencess a bright color that
comes and goes with every change of emotion
which the Latin school failed to rob her of
and pure mind and high ideal of life and
its duties, which a thorough course of classics,
in the companionship of the other sex, failed
to sully or even lower
With girl like this for n model, il is no
wonder that Mrs. Fields and Mrs. Talbot
made confident and courageous application
for the admission of girls to the Boston Latin
school, backed as they We're by Rev. James
Freeman Clarke, President Runkle of the In
stitute of Technology, and other men and
women equally identified with the education
al interests of the State. But weren't they
surprised to see what torrent of opposition
| they had raised. President Eliot, dreading
the advance of an Amazonian army upon his
beloved Harvard, if the outpost of the Latin
school was carried, sprang at once to its de-
fence, and used his best rhetoric and the
worst logic to repel the invaders. President
Porter, fearing for the safety of Yale, joined
forces with the President of Harvard, and did
unconscious battle for the enemy, strengthen
ing their position by exposing the weakness
of their own, and President Seelye skirmish-
ed wildly about lest Amherst should find the
enemy at her gates.
Drs. Clarke and Bowdtch, and others of
their ilk, seized the opportunity so favonbly
offered, to air their cherished ideas of the
physical inability of girls to be anything much
beyond absolute idiots. Charles Francis Ad-
ans became suddenly concerned regarding
public morality and shifted innumerable scan
dals if young men and young women were al
lowed to be educated together. Superinten-
dent Philbrick discussed at great length the
physiological and psychological reasons why
education Of the sexes should be separate and
| itc pnOIac 1iMarapt ,rbila D,Cf h1,,,,t
ly said that Greek wasn't fit for girls TO study,
it was demoralizing
Of all the absurd arguments, that seems the
most absurd. Greek demoralizing. Homer
and Plato pronounced unfit for girls while
they are taught French, which opens to them
the vilest literature in the world.
Young men and women may not study the
classics together for fear of contamination,
yet they may visit opera boufre in each others
society, and learn morality from the modest
Aine and the decorous Sodene, or they may
listen TO the dOuJIe Cntendre, and laugh with
out blush at the illusions and situations in
the modern French comedies, such as ''Pinl
Dominoes," " Marriage" Baby" and all the
rest of the same class, and Mr.. Adams doe.
not fear the consequences. 1t is only Greek
and Latin that are dangerous
For my part, think it is quite time thai
some equal chance should be given to girls tC
prepare for college that is given to boys Ger
tainly they do not have the same advantages
With all the talk about the girls High school
it does not do what it should the fitting fol
college must take place after girl leaves tha
school, and there is so much time lost Idon'
know how this controversy will end but
sincerely hope in the admission of girls to tn,
school, The hearings are over; it now de
pends upon the decision Of the committee.
1t is quite the fashion to deprecate society
newspapers and the personal gossip whicl
they contain, and there is a great deal of pro
fessed contempt for it, while poor jenkins
has to come in for large share of abuse
This contempt and abuse is to great degree
humbug, as any one knows who is at all ia
miliar with society journalism. The uniniti
ated would be very much surprised to be tolt
how many of the personal announcements o
the whereabouts of people, descriptions o
parties, announcements of engagements, &c.
were sent by the persons themselves who fig
ure in the paragraphs; and their wonder
would be greatly increased, could they hea
these same inveighing against the imperti
nence of newspaper people, and above all o
the person who had been so audacious as t.
put their names in the paper. It's delicious t
those who understand it. One of the best hit
in Bourcicaults new comedy of Marriage
which is playing at the Globe, is the accoun
of her daughters wedding which fashiona
| l., bay ,,s,ittat, for n gOpiptV
because she ''cannot trust ordinary reporters,
and which she reads TO the bridesmaids befor
sending. The audience laughed at it as an e2
travngance, but all the journalists recognize
it as a truthful portraitme, possibly littl
exaggerated, but true nevertheless.
| heard u conversation once between
young lady in society and the representativ
of a leading society paper. 1t was ut char
ty ball; the girl was pretty and exquisitel
dressed. She went up to the young gentle
man and said, "Now Mr.. ---, don't you pu
my name in the paper nor tell what had on
have worn this dress once before and it
horribly old. I was going to have a Frenc
dress from Worths, but it didn't get here, S
had to wear this now mind, don't put m
name in the paper, but if you do, send IN
six"
That young woman had paid all the respec
demanded from her to her supposed modest
and delicate womanliness, and was then read
to have her vanity administered to, to any eA
tent. That was girl after Mr.. Adams, PROT
Everetts, President Eliots and DIR. Clarke
own heart She didn't know a word of Gree
or Latin, had never knocked for admission O
the door of any college, and didn't want to 6
To the Latin SCHOOL And vet my colleg