The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1878-03-15
Female Education in Egypt.

From a recent work on Egyptl
More interesting than the whole Of these
male seminaries, as an evidence Of progress,
md of the lead Egypt is taking in East
.rn civilization, are the two girls schools,
which, though not yet three years in exist
snce, are educating nearly four hundred and
fifty Moslem, Coptic, and other girls as,
iinoe the Hegira, women in the East have
never been educated before. 1t is to the
wife Of the Khedive, that the initiative Of
this great reform is due. Three years Ago.,
The only public school for girls in Egypt was
hat conducted with exemplary self-sacrhice
oy Miss Whately, and another by ladies Of
the American Mission. But these, although
attended by a few Moslem children, were
but as q drop in the ocean for the great
mass of the Arab population. The deeply
rooted popular prejudice against female
education, had, however, bnffied every Mt
tempt of the government to supply this
primary condition of social reform, till, in
the spring of 1873, the third wife Of the
Khedive lent the prestige of her sex and
her position to the effort. Under her aus.
pices, and at her private cost, an old palace
In ONE Of the most populous quarters OF
Cairo was purchased, in great part rebuilt
and adapted to the necessities of school life,
with accommodation for two hundred board
ers and one hundred outside pupils. Even
thus sponsored, however, the scheme was
so far in advance of public opinion that,
although it appealed to h poorest classes,
offering free board, lodging, clothing, and
education to all who chose to come, it was
with difficulty the first batch of pupils was
obtained. But the spell of prejudice once
broken, the school rapidly filed with both
residents and outsiders and since then the
applications nave beer many hundreds in
excess Of the accommodation. The pupils,
ranging from sevsn to twelve years of age,
are of all ranks, races, and creeds known to
Egypt-from pashas' daughters to slave
girls Arabs, Copts, Nubians, Jews, and L.
vantine Christians of every cross of blood.
The course Of instruction, which will spread
over five years, includes reading, writing,
arithmetic, drawing, geography, Turkish,
French, music, Koran, for Moslem pupils.
plain and ornamental needlework, cookery,
laundry, and general housework-al thor
oughly taught by n staff of fifteen masters
and mistresses, two of the latter of whom.
and the directress, are Europeans. Periodi-
cal lottery sales are held of all n~eedlework
beyond the personal clothing OF the pupils.
and the proceeds given to q dowry fund
for the poorest girls.
The great success OF this first effort to
rescue Egyptian womanhood from the ig-
norance and apathy OF harem-life, and so
to lay the true foundation Of a really
national education, soon led to the opening
of q second school with q less extensive
course, mostly with q view to domestic
service in another part Of the capital, where,
under n staff of nine teachers, Of whom
the directress and one mistress are Euro
peans, 147 pupils --76 boarders and II
outsiders-were last year maintained aud
instructed at the charge Of the Khcdivc's
first wife. Both these institutions, adequate
ly endowed by their foundresses, are under
the control Of the Ministry of Public ln'
struction, and rank among the most -four.
ishing and important of the schools ot
Egypt. A third is in course Of erection,
and will be at work before the close of tk'
present year and in compliance with naul
erous petitions, arrangements are in pr
ress to open others in the chief province,
towns. In fact, popular prejudice has tym
completely overcome ; and if this move:s ST
in favor of female education be continnc #
there is every reason to hope it "tli. 1t
another generation the most essential =
Eastern reforms-the social emanCiiali"H ,t
w~oman--will in Egypt be an %accotm. %,
act.