The daily gazette., 1880-04-13
FIRST EDITION.
Opposed to co-Educatlon.
THE BOARD PosTPoNEs THE ouEsrro

Inc 6Oaru Oh EuucatfOn met in reg
ular session last evening, President
Eckel in the chair. @
The question of co-education Of the
sexes came up In almost the first item
of business, on the report offered sew
eral weeks ago, by the committee
on transfers, recommending that a
room In No. be set apart as a gram
mar department for boys and girls, in
order to relieve the pressure for seats
at other grammar schools. ~ ~
Mr.. Baird said he thought this
would be good thing to do It would
be better for the children and over
come the difficulty of accommo dating
the grammar school scholars with
seats. YItl-r.l4 yl
Col. HeisleT inquired whether, if
this report was adopted, it was to be
merely q temporary expedient, or the
introduction of an established custom.
Mr.. Kent replied that it was design
ed to make the arrangement, to 90 in
to effect the first of the next school
year.
DR.. Grimshaw next took the floor,
and opposed co-education from a
physiological, mental and moral stand
point. He quoted from "Clark on Co
Education" strong work against CO.
education by DR.. Edward ii. Clark, of
Boston, leading physician and
scientist. He also alluded to the fact
that Mr.. Gladstone, England's dis
tinguished statesman, after having
given his daughter term at Cam
bridge, was opposed to co-education.
The doctor then moved to lay the sub
ject over until the first meeting in
July next.
MIR. Grubb said he favored co-educa-
ton, and in response to DR.. Grim
shaw's quotations from Clark, he
quoted from Prof VIM. P. Harris,
superintendent of the St. Louis public
schools, who strongly favored CO.
education in a pamphlet issued in
1872. Mr.. Grubb also read letter he
had received from Prof Harris, in
which he said he still believed fully in
the merits of co-education.
Mr.. Kent followed Mr.. Grubb and
attempted to floor DIR. Grimshaw and
his quotations from DR.. Clark, with a
work entitled ''Sex and Education"
reply to DIR. Clark, by Col. Thomas
Wentworth Higginson. Cont .nuing,
Mr.. Kent unrolled formidable look
ing bundle of letters, and proceeded to
read arguments Of every conceivable
shade In favor of co-education, from
the following distinguished peda-
gogues: ...
President Fairchild, of Oberlin Col
lege, Ohio. .---r
Prof. ]. II. Wickersham, State
Superintendent of Public Schools in
Pennsylvania.
The Superintendent of Public In
struction, Cleveland, Ohio.
The Superintendent of Public In
struction, Dayton, Ohio.
| J. W. Dickinson, Superintendent of
| Public Schools of Massachusetts.
President Andrews and Prof. Bas-
com, of the Michigan University.
| President Pickard, of the Ohio State
University.
DIR. Grimshaw, Notwithstanding this
fierce onslaught =, of distinguished
authorities, arose smilingly, and sar-
castically twitted the friends of CO.
education for drawing the fire of the
opposition before they let off their
own ammunition. However, he said
he would be happy to answer all these
authorities-if he had time. He said
Col. Higginson was Colonel of a negro
regiment, and doubtless a brave SOL
dier, but DIR. Clark was distinguish
ed scientist, educated with q special
regard to the subject of which he
speaks. Whose opinion, therefore, on
this subject, would the Board prefer
to takep
Mr.. Kenney said he was opposed to
co-education, from practical stand
point. At No. 4 school the girls were all
right, but the boys weie greatly COM
piained OF. BE was 10th to endanger
the reputation of girls by mixing them
promiscuously with boys. He thought
1t was wrong 10 save boy At the expense
Of girl. The schools were we'll enough
now, and 1t was poor doctrine TO mix
good girls and bad boys for the sake Of
economy of room.
Col. Heisler took an exactly opposite
view from that expressed by Mr.. Kenney.
He was opposed to co-education out of
regard for the morals OF the boys. He
was prepared to substantiate all he said,
and If gentlemen of the Board would
accompany HIM he would show them
something In the grammar schools that
would fill them with surprise. And this
"something" was on the part of the girls
He had seen girls and boys from Mol
schools acling on the streets in manner
that made him feel ashamed. He had
known of notes passing between the girls
and boys at No, l, making appointments
for night meetings. He had some of
these notes In his possession, written by
the girls OF No. l. About two years ago
these was talk Of expelling girl from
No. for bad conduct. The boys had
been more gentlemanly than the girls
are ladylike, where they are together;
"and," said Col. Heisler, In conclusion,
"what Is economy of room, to the virtue
and proper care OF tue pupilsP' %
After some further discussion, DIR.
Grimshaw's motion to lay the subject
over until the first meeting in July
was adopted by the following vote
Ayes-Messrs. Belts, Furry, Grim
shaw, Heisler, Kenney, Kyne, Lally,
Morrow, Palmer and Shortlidge-S.
Nays-Messrs. Baird, Grubb, Kent,
McIntire, Lynch and President Eckel
%.
DIR. Grimshaw offered resolution
instructing the Superintendent to re.
port at next meeting the number OF
boys in this years graduating class OF
school No. 1 who are actually attend.
ing the school at present. Adopted.
! The committee on the change of the
location of oobool No 10 80 Saul