The Orangeburg democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1879-1881, 1879-10-10
AIere Flafnmam.
Editor OrangeJurg Democrat:

All sensible people lyOurselI eA-
cepted because those who occupy
your position must necessarily under
20 various impositions) will be eX-
pccted to skip this article rs they
have been informed that this sort Of
"quibble" will not do for them. AS
"quibble" has been applied to pre-
vious production Of my pen. l warn
them in time that they will irretrieva-
bly, commit themselves to folly in the
Judgment of one whose opinion is owl
IDENTIFY of no little Importance, if they
read my communication. "Trustee"
and few of kindred spirit, will prob
ably lend an ear; of course l am not
80 presumptious rs TO suppose the
originator Of the opinion will honor
it with perusal.
"School Marm's" salary not being
sufficient TO afford Webstcr's Una
bridgcd, she consulted his Primary
and found quibble defined as an
"cvasion Of truth q cavil." Which
did "Esculapius" mean, l wonder, an
evasion, or capt;ous objection. He
spoke Of both in the same paragraph.
/ know Of no truth cvadci', he estab-
lished none that was accepted rs q
truth: rs regards the objection, he is
willingof course, to allow others the
same liberty he enjoys that OF ex
pressing an opinion.
He '.relegatcd" for my "dclccta-
ton" several expressions in my re
ply TO his article in which he says /
attempted "to divert attention from
the main ISSUE" His Interpretation
OF "the main issue" was not correct ::
my intention was to ridiculc, not the
author, but the sentiment. | intro
duccd myself rs q tyro in the field Of
controversy, and did not claim cx-
cmption from the faults COMMON to
beginners. | was aware Of the ave
nue. left open for him TO enter upon,
and only regret he did not enter the
others 1 left ungarded, and pursue
the ideas therein as assiduously.
In compliance with my request: he
furnished ssthc four elements essen
tial in the make up CT Il good teach
er." intellectual capacity, and moral
character and influence, he docs not
restrict to man, but asserts woman's
incompetency to arise from incapa
biliLy Of imparling information, and
deficiency of executive talent. l fully
agree with "Esculapius' that ''lhc
faculty of impartipg information is 8
rare gift and not an acquired talent
if requirement were substituted for
the last two words. "A1un is no
teacher" if he does not possess this
gift. If this were put to the test,
many colleges and universities would
lose their ''iirst-class teachers, their
shining lights the practical impossi-
bility Of such q state Of affairs prov
ing that second Utopia exists in his
brain"
He contradicts himself when he
says that woman is intellectually Ca
pablc and then asserts her inability
to impart information. The powers
Of the mind are divided by philoso-
piers into three classes: Intellect,
sensibilities and will. Pure reason
occupies the highest position among
the cognitive faculties; "the ideas
derived from it are intuitivc, and not
acquired by slow process of reason
ing" Distinct from it is comparison,
Or the reasoning faculty. The ideas
derived from the former are "ideas Of
reality; therefore, are universal and
necessary, and arc found in minds
uncultured as we'll rs in the most pol
ished." The functions Of comparison
are to perceive relations, and, from
The knowledge thus obtained, TO per-
form the work Of abstraction.
Perception thus playing such an
Important part in tho act Of reason
ing, is equally as necessary rs the
second function employed, and as
"woman arrives at conclusions more
by perception than by rctlcction," ESQ
"Esculapius" ailirms), her method is
the same in its results, and has the
advantage Of being more expeditions
man receives the facts ut second
hand. Her superior requirements by
perception will thus be seen to bal
ance his superior attainmcnts in rca-
soning. "Let it be kept in vicw,"