Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-12-14
The Education of Girls.
From the Providence Journal.


The Rev. VIM. Taylor. Of Troy. NY, who also
signs himself NJ D., writes to Or. Naele. reris-
trar OF vital statistics In New York concerning
the education of girls In special, and cram
ming" in schools in a general manner. He de-
sireS to know what is the state of feeling among
medical men as to this subject. because as he
declares, in his section great harm is done to
scholars, but especially to girls at the age of
puberty, by the examining processes and over
work to which they are subjected both at home
and in school," and he goes on to recite the
dangers and the disorders following as conse-
quent upon this system. The present policy I'm
and by the free public schools has been evolved
through long years; 1t will not be materially
changed at once. At first the idea was to give
the children of the state practical education
one that could be followed up at college or
would suffice for the average needs of the aver
age citizen. The fundamental principle was the
securing of good English education, such as
would fit the BOY for the common business of
lite and the girl for domestic duties. Nobody
supposed that music, French, Latin or even
calisthenics were essential to the due school
training of the young.
What the curriculum now Is need not be cited
in detail; it is such and so extensive as to en-
danger, as 1t has often most seriously injured.
the nervous systems of the scholars. Mr. Tay-
ior is right i'm calling attention particularly to
the girls for reasons obvious to parents as to
physicians. But parents are as ignorant as they
are ambitious: they think that the superficial
requirements are evidences of real education:
that the show of learning is real knowledge;
that they are doing good service to their chill
drenby pushing them forward as fast and as far as
the brightest of the community go, or seem to
go. That teacher Is the most popular with par
ents, superintendent and school committees
who goes over the most ground, the require
ments being SO great that 1t is impossible for
the majority to understand the lessons so hur-
ried over. All this has been said again and
again; it is admitted by those who have control
of the public schools, and are fit to have man.
agement Of them; it is lamented by the best
teachers; 1t is perfectly plain to those who seek
to find out who has been learned at school and
how well. The facts are indsputable; they are
OF the gravest Importance, but it is still un-
popular to state them, as it would be ruinous
ior political candidate to seek to reverse them
LOT even an honest and economical education.
But the sins Of the people In this behalf-for
1t Is sin to cheat the child out of a genuine
education, at the same time dwarfng its physi-
cal Ife-will be none the less found out by them
ana punished. The laws of nature cannot be
violated with impunity. That which Mr.. Taylor
simply hints at will be realized by parents and
by descendants Of the present generation of
school girls although too late for remedy. 1t
would be Idle, Of course to attribute all the fills
OF school girls to the school That is not the
question; the issue Is whether under the pres
ent system, there Is not inevitably an injury
done as q rule to the school girl Mr. TAYLOR
has shown intelligence In applying directly to
physicians. II the profession would speak
frankly and fully In this matter, It would do a
great public service. Nor would 1t be difficult,
we apprehend, to prove that morals suffer as
much as the body from the high pressure of our
school system. A daily newspaper is not the
place In which to discuss the question exhaus-
lively In either Of these aspects, but there is
need OF line upon line and precept upon precept
In this regard We shall have higher hopes when
those who know from personal and professional
observation the most of the truth, including
teachers. shall speak as their judgments and con-
sciences dictate