The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-03-14
AN OPINION OF Co-EDUCArION.
The Strong Ground Taken BY Rev. DIR. Di


In his Friday evening Lenton talks at
Trinity Chapel, in West Twenty fifth street,
regarding the proper sphere oil woman, Rev.
DR.. Morgan Dix takes the strongest possible
ground against ''woman's rights" as that
phrase is popularity construed. He said last
night that there was not insociety to-day any
more dangerous public enemy than the
woman who, under the pretext of lifting
herself up to higher plane OF public
rights, not only deliberately untitled herself
for social and domestic duties, but per-
suaded others to follow in the same course
The two catch" terms, higher education
and co-education, which are so common
ly used in the public agitation of the So
called woman question. Or. Dix considered
to be insincere and meaningless There was
no intelligibls explanation of what was
meant by the higher education of women,
and the term "ooeducation," IL il meant
ANYTHING. wasexpressige Of the mischievous
doctrine that the young of both sexes should
be taught in the same schools, in the same
classes, on eqnal terms, and to perform the
same duties. Such a doctrine was calculated
| to aid in the disintegration of the present
social system. The SD aaker protested against
and denounced the 'coeducation" of the
| sexas as dangerous and unnatural. Men and
women had not the same destinies and they
were not fitted to perform the same duties
Young women could not be trained in cora
pany with young men except at the sacrifice
of all those modest, delicate qualities that
| formed the peculiar and essential charm of
womanhood. 1t was wrong to attempt
to treat young girls as if they were
the same sort of creatures as young
men. Nature protested against such a pro-
ceeding. There are physical reasons why a
young girl should not be subjected to the
same course of training applied in the edu-
cation of a young man. There were moral
and social reasons why the young people OF
both sexes should not be thrown together
on a common level in matters of everyday
concern. AT the ages when the passions
have their fullest play the sexes should be
| kept apart by the barriers of social restraint
and the natural instincts of maidenly mod
esty should be respected. Decency, proprie-
| ty and delicacy were the elements that
should be chiefly considered in any plan OF
relationship between the sexes, and those
elements demanded for a young woman the
watchful presence of her mother.
Any man who would want to have his
daughter educated in the same manner as
his son would deserve 10 be stamped as q
fool. No parent in his right mind could be
so misguided as to the respective duties he
owed TO a son and a daughter, as to desire
| them to be trained exactly alike, as If they
we're boys. 1t is absolutely necessary
that men and women should bt
| trained under entirely different
conditions and in most respects by
different methods. Each sex deserves to be
treated in accordance with the laws o.
nature. woman could not learn TO think
speak ank act like man unless she sur
rendered her womanhood, and even ther
she would be but poor imitation OF a man
Women designed by the Creator to bs
women, to do women's work and occupy
place in the world that men could no
occupy. 1t was eminently proper tina
parents should undertake to have their SON.
and daughters educated equally we'll, but i
was not necessary to the accomplishment o.
such a desire, to have them taught by tn,
same teacher. at the same time, and in tn,
same channels of knowledge. The idea
nich was forcing its way even into respect
able society, that it was proper for younl
men and women to meet on common GROUND
and hear and tslK about everything in com
mon, was absurd. A woman should b.
trained 10 be true to her home, and to maxi
it all that it Is capable of being. If maj i
to be the bread winner. let woman be tn
home-maker. The home is the beginning
and the basis of civilized society. DR.. Dil
proposed to show in the two remaining
J lectures of his series how the home i
menaced and what processes are at worl
. now ts, undermine il