The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-07-11
CO-EDUCATION.
Opinion of the Indianapolis Public School
Superintendent as Expressed at the Sar-
atnoa CanuanfIor |

Opinion of the indianapolis Public School
superintendent as Expressed at the Sar-
atoga Convention.
Report of Fridays Proceedings.
A. S. Tarbell, of indianapolis, chairman of
the committee on the education of girls, sub
mitted his report on the question of co-edu-
cation in secondary and collegiate schools. 1t
contained the following propositions;
1. The object of general education for every IN.
divIdual being the same, the means used should
be the same, except as modified by the character
istics and circumstances of the person edu-
Gated.
9. These means should be thorough elemen-
tary training in those subjects best suited to
give needed and essential culture,
followed, when the individual circumstances re-
qnire and permit 1t, by a higher elective course
of study.
3. The question of the education of girls as
distinct from the education OF boys is only a
phase Of special education. There are no intel
lectual differences between the sexes that re-
quire or justify a difference in their general cd
ucatiOn.
A. Neither the right of girls to equal advant-
ages with bows, nor their equal capacity for IN
teliectual effort aud attainment. is longer dls-
putrd, though certain mental differences in the
sexes are generally recognized.
8. Sex is but one element, and not always
the main one, in determining what the higher
education of the individual shall be-, or at what
point 1t shall commence. CO-eduoatiOn is the
plan of nature, and the practical difficulties
In It's way are disappearing before improved
methods and in the light of successful expert
ence.
6. In Institutions established by the State and
supported by the public funds, tha element of
economy, combined with efficiency. will always
be carefully considered, and, IL tie State gives
the girls within It's borders equal advantages
with the boys, it will endeavOr so to DO with the
least expenditure and with the smallest praetic-
able addition TO educational machinery and dis
turbance TO existing institutions. These eOndk
tions are evidently met by the admission OF girls
to the institutions provided for boys.
2. Experience sh0 VS. that the higher educa-
ttOn of young women is successfully conducted
IN the same institutions and classes with young
men, without the presence of either sex affect
ing the other more than at church or at the
theater. The young women become more decor
Gus, the young men more reserved and dignitied.
The danger of improprieiies in the association of
the sexes in schools IL less than In the comming-
ling of fashionable life.
8. In all schemes of school education, allow
ance must be made for the education to be OBJ
tanned from she family, society, the church and
the state, ana for tina time and effort which
these means of education will cOnsume. A fur
Their allowance must be made for the demands of
growth and the contingencies OF ill-health, and
some degree of irreguIarity of attendance.
Young people should not he allowed TO work up
to the full measure of their strength. There
should always be the possibility of greater effort
without the appearance of harm. These allow
enough To admit them without serious jar, the
cO-euucat.1n OF the sexes will he found to have
important advantages over any scheme Of edu-
cation for oOys and girls separately. It seems,
therefore, 20 he for the interest of the State,
society and of most individuals, that cO-eduoa-
ton of the sexes should prevail in institutions
supported by the State.