Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1879-05-23
PRACTICAL EDUCATION OF
YOUNG WOMEN.

pages an editorial puff of the first class.
The temptation is to be found in the fact
that the curriculum Of this college, besides
embracing the languages, music, mathe-
mates and so forth, includes cooking.
dressmaking and millinery. The young
ladies are taught "Taylor's system of
dressmaking;'' the chair OF millinery is
filled by ga well known milliner of Bos-
ton," and the instruction in cooking is
also practical. The classes are also fur
nished with lectures upon these matters
delivered by persons who, if not titled
'Professors,' are thoroughly conversant
with the art they explain. The young Ia
dies who have attended at this institution,
us we learn from many certificates to that
effect, leave there fully equipped for the
world which is much larger thing than
a parlor. Whether this be true in its full
lest sense or not we may be quite sure that
the young person who has taken in addi-
ton the studies named, is that much
better off than her less fortunate sisters
who have only taken the course common
in female schools. We suppose it may be
set down as a fact that two-thirds Of the
women who marry at all do so shortly
after leaving school. 1t is period at
which possibly their thoughts tend more
to matrimony as they do either sooner or
later, and it is time that their charms
are most likely to win whatever the pos
SCISSOR desires. It is at such a period then
that they are most likely to preside over
households of their own and to have the
comfort and happiness of Others in their
of luck it is precisely at this period they
are least fitted, from the education they
have received, to undertake the task. The
accomplishments of drawing room super
added to those of a female seminary, how
ever superior both may be in their way
are not, we think all will agree, equal to
the supervision of a domestic establish
ment and the fact will become glaringiy
apprehension the mistress Of the house is
called upon to practice those little arts and
economies that 60 under the general name
of management. A youthful nation quite
at the mercy of her cook, her mllliner and
her dressmaker, is hardly the sort OF per-
son to shine with unqualified splendor as
the head of her household, and from this
grows much Of the trivial annoyances as
well as general unhappiness OF married
life. Instead of the comforts of home
the husband is offered only the comforts
of drawing room, for which Of his own
motion sooner or later he substitutes the
comforts of club.
In this section of our country this prac-
teal education of our young ladies is par
ticularly necessary just now. However
unsentimental the disagreeable statement
may sound, 1t is the truth that our young
women, as well as our young men, are
painfully impecunious, and the money
raised for the higher education such as
they get in colleges Is raised, in a majority
of cases, by the painful scrimping Of am
bilious parents, and yet, in the case Of our
female Americans, the only practical use
that may be made of the superior and
thorough training given in them-a use
that will make the possessor independent
of the aid of her friends-is to invest it in
teaching others, and this avenue Of free
dom from dependence is, as all know, so
crowded that such service, even of the
best quality, may be obtained by paying
little more than the actual cost Of the liv-
ing of those who render it.
How advantageous then would be an in
| fusion Of something, even if ever so little,
Of practical, every day character into the
education of our girls. The suggestion
that they should cook would doubtless ex-
cite a just Indignation seeing that by
employee, who does not know this year
| where next years work is to come from.
is by the gentler sex invested with the
| imaginary income of a millionaire who
could not require of his wife ''menial" as
sislance-but surely the knowledge Of what
| to tell their own cooks is not degrading.
A lady may not spend her days at s'Tay-
lor7s system of dressmakiug,' but the
| ability to supplement the efforts of her
own dressmaker is far from valueless.
| We would not underrate the accomplish
ments which are taught in our schools,
| and cheerfully acknowledge the graces
they develops in young women; nor would
we estimate many of the textbooks
in their curriculum, which, however prac-
| tica]ly useless, find merit in the general
| blowing and narrowing and disciplining
of the mind, but while we welcome all
| these submissiyely, if not graciously, we,
| and thousands like us, would like to see
| the schools of America turn out one ma
| tional class of practically useful women,
who are not inferior to their own domes-
| tics IN all knowledge that is useful in the
| management of house, whether the pro-
| prletor of that house be a millionaire or a
| salaried clerk.
| Rev. Dr.. G. III. Toy, native of Nor
folk, Va, Professor Of Old Testament In
terpretations in the Southern Baptist The
illogical Seminary at Columbia, S. C., has
rendered his resignation to the Board of
| Trustees, because, as stated by a cores
pondent of the Richmond State,' he ''has
grad ually adopted views on the inspiration
of the Bible which, while they do not in
| the least lessen his belief in the Divine au-
! thority of the Scriptures, or any great doc
tripe which they teach, are yet so at vari-
ance with the commonly accepted theory
| of inspiration that he felt it his duty to
present to the Board a caref ully prepared
statement of his views, and, in order to
| selleve the Board of embarrassment, a
| tender of his resignation" The Board
has accepted the resignation and elected
Rev. Basil Manly, D. D., of Atlanta, to
I! the vacant chair.
! ~@4>O%1ees-