The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1877-12-19
4 Unsrer-l.x for our DanEhser..

Iect IN which am sure many very AhaHJ y
of your readers have already lively IN
terest.
THE HIGHER EDUCATION or OUR WOMEN
The intelligent reader must have been
forcibly impressed by the clear, definite
and patriotic language of President
Hayes in his inaugural address. Says
the Preside 1T:
But at the basis of all prosperity for
the South as well as for any other part of
the country, lies the improvement OF the
intelligent and moral condition of the
people.
Universal Suffrage should rest upon
Universal Education.
To this end liberal and permanent
provision should be made for the support
of free schools by State government, and,
if need be, supplemented by legitimate
aid from the national authority.
The national authority" has now but
one resource left-her public lands. Of
these | suggest that large portion be
set aside, upon some judicious basis,
guarded by a general act of Congress,
somewhat like the act of July 2, 1862,
donating public lands to the several States
and Territories for the benefit of agrieul-
ture and the mechanic arts. Not, how
ever, rs in that case upon the basis of
representation of each State in Congress,
nor upon the basis of 'illiteracy," as has
been suggested, but upon the basis of
territorial area.
But why ask portion instead of all
First-Because to succeed in Congress
with such a measure, you must have the
support of many who would vote against
it altogether if all were asked.
Second-There is still much to be done
for internal improvements, colleges and
universities are necessary, the education
of the people is imperative, yet we must
have the great PIONEERS Of civilization
and education, too, to go ahead. The
railroads and other internal improve
ments must encompass and occupy, pre-
pare and make ready the way for this
higher civilization.
Third-To ask all and obtain it would
create rings" and "jobs, and less,
possibly, would be realized than in the
case of the agricultural land grant.
Fourth-The distribution upon the
basis of territorial area would give to the
new States-the least populous, / admit,
a larger proportion-and this is correct.
They are more in need of this advantage,
this greater inducement to settlers.
The older States are well provided for,
and if not altogether so, can with their
large means easily supply the slight de-
ficiency.
For the same reason, would not have
it distributed upon the basis if illiteracy,
but upon the basis mentioned, or upon
any other meeting more exactly the wants
and conditions of the several States and
Territories.
OF this distribution there should be
given to each State and Territory an
amount sufficient to employ competent
corps of professors and officers, who
should be able to give equally thorough
instructions as is given in our best uni
versities, upon the condition that each
State and Territory accepting such grant
shall provide in given time the necessa-
ny grounds, buildings, apparatus and IL
braries out of the object of the dona-
ton.
These institutions ought to he under
the control of each State through its
Legislature, and each State to be respon-
sible for the preservation of the fund,
anu perpetual maintenance VI Tic OuAAQ-
ings, apparatus, libraries, etc., for one
or more institutions of the highest grade,
each to be styled and known as the
STATE UNIVERSITY FOR OUR DAUGHTERS.
do not mean by this movement any
disparagement of what has already been
done for the higher education OF women,
nor to intimate that l am in opposition
particularly to the efforts making at CO.
education, but simply to state that these
fall very far short of the mark, are en-
tirelY too limited, too circumscribed. /
honor Matthew Vasser for his great con-
ception and successful completion of an
institution of high grade for the young
women of New York.
believe if the General Government
will but take the initiatory steps, secure
the endowment, perpetual and adequate,
that the States will 6nd coming to their
aud many, Vassers, many Cornells, many
Vanderbilts and many John Hopkinses.
/ congratulate these latter philanthro-
pists and benefactors upon their large
hearted munifcence, their princely gifts;
but am amazed that they could see no
need of higher institutions of learning
for our noble women, who from the era
die to the grave are our earliest and best
teachers, as well as always our safest adj
visers.
have not the space, in q short letter,
to argue-nOt even to state why the pre-
sent appliances are too meager-Why co
education is not what we need, although
it offers partial opportunities to few
young ladies who can, by applying in due
form, be permitted to attend lectures pre-
pared especially for the instruction of
young men. But do here state that the
time has come when our daughters, who
are to be the constructors of our house
hold affairs, to train our future rulers,
our law-givers and our statesmen, should
have an equal chance with ourselves. /
do not say an identical-not an equal
education, but do plead that it should
be equivalent, suited to their sphere of
life, as is their brothers suitable and
sufficient for theirs.
1t Is an invidIoUs distinction, an un-
righteous distinction, that every State
and Territory In this Union, in addition
TO their numerous denominational and
other private colleges and universities,
have made ample provision for the high
CT CAuCatAoH u young men, ana these
with few exceptions are open to all, free
of tuition, free of college fees while as
States nothing aas been done for fine
higher education of young women, and
what little has been done by private or
UNCONVENTIONAL effort is 90 costly as to
totally close the doors Of these institu-
tons against = large majority Of the
female population. This duty to our
daughters has been overlooked or passed
unheeded by all nations.
It has been left to America to inaugu-
rate this new era, and let it be com
menced in this the first year Of the sec