Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-07-15
The GOOD Women of memphis.

DO-lOO, COutaAus Auc lOllONluk Ncli-Ocrcl NSd
10 the worth of the women of the
especially Memphis.
The Good Women of Memphis.
In no city OF the South have we come
Upon such q notable illustration of the work
il 10 be done by woman in the new
as in thee ity of Memphis. Ev-
in our travels through these States
we nod the superior young womanhood OF
every locality responding TO the peoples call
Tor improved school-keeping. Outside q
somewhat limited circle Of admirable mas-
tiers and superintepdsnts, the superiority in
moral conservation, literary culture and
skilliul methods is decidedly on the side OF
the women teachers, in all public and sec
ondary private schools. This is the natural
result Of the present status OF Southern af- |
fairs. |
For a full generation to come, it will be
dithculi to hold any large number Of the su-
psrior class of young Southern men to the
Onremunerative work of school-teaching. |
Fifteen hundred dollars a year lie now the |
largest salary paid for SUPPLEMENTARY in
cities OF 5000 people, and the same amount
Of frst-cisss work in any other direction is
sure to bring a larger enumeration There
is no part Of the world where an able and
trained young man will be SO sure Of great
success, in a score of useful waye, for the
next half century, as in our Southern States.
Desirable a. it may be that this sort OF men
should be largely engaged in public and pri-
waite school Eork, 1t lie highly improbable
that the people at present will be induced TO
pay the salaries necessary 10 hold q great
number OF them TO this occupation. Bot
the demand for superior education in all
quarters, especially among the white popu-
laiion, must be met.
For this emergency there seems what can
only be regarded as a Providential supply.
The South is full of young women, not in
ferior 10 the similar clzss in any part Of
Christendom, and il is on this superior class
that the sfiicIion Of the great war has told
most heavily. While their brothers are able
to support themselves, in various wsys, there
ia vet no large development OF that class OF
r, fined industries by which 30 many culti-
waited girls 10 the Nortn are earning an inde-
pendence which lifts them above the necessity
OF looking TO an unit marriage IS the one
refuge OF life. While there are 2S4 ways by
which q young woman in Massachusetts can
earn an honorable support, there are prob
ably not ten avenues OF remunerative en-
ployment for q superior girl in Tennessee.
Thus the important fuEction OF school-!each-
ipg is absorbing a much larger proportion OF
the bes; mind and heart and social culture
il the South than any other section. And
n hlAHt II BtODCily 1RPAGL4abCo y okCat
will enable cur Southern States TO make
rapid strides in the new education through
! their ability to bring the finest element of
\ society into the most vital relation of help
fulness to the macs OF illiterscy, that must
be enlightened md elevated in the most rapid
and effective way.
The city Of Memphis, within twenty years,
has passed through a series of trials that
would have destroyed any town with a des-
| (. - - --.z--s h. ,to-IF TL--,-L Co..
| years of the war it was a military csmo and
a hospital. Twice within the past fifteen
years the peslilence has decimated its stay
a.-home population and driven away thou.
sands of i.s people. 1t has just touched a
sound financial bottom, after q long wrestle
with every sort of financial embarrassment
and encouragement that can assail a grow
irg city. Ii now has a bright OUTLOOK ON
every side for substantial growth, with q
reasonable expectation of a brilliant future.
But, of course, such a conquest could only
be accomplished by the absorption Of it's
higher Masculine ability, leaving very little
Chance for the children and youth to receive
the auenlicn of eminent, mastership. The
public school committee have been Inc fiji :ieDt,
largely becsu-e composed of eminent ciuzeus
who he'd no time, and little training for
school worn. A frequent chsnse in .uperin-
tendsocy. aud financial embarr sssm-nt, have
kept back toe full development Of popular
educ atioo. LODGED, apart from the sciive
aud enths sis site Capt. Collier, the city super
iniendep', and two or three master Of 40
lie and private schools, We could not l,Asn
that any N IN Of hrst class ability wa eL-
gsgsd Ia reaching in this city of 40,o0J pee
pie.
But Memphis seems especially rich IN good
women, and We found the educational work
OF ths city practically in the hsDds of a hun
dred ladies OF whom any ,ity might we'll be
proud. There is but one male teacher 10 the
white public schools, and Superintendent Col
lier must rely on bic sixty lady assistants for
snccess in his arduous work. Under great
disadvantage these excellent women are
doing solid work for the children, many Of
them spending their money, time and vscs-
tons at summer schools, and bringing the
best methods into the class-rooms. Outside
the pubic schools Miss Conway and Miss
Higbse are building up the two superior
schools for girls in the Southwest, while
s-veral accomplished ladies are doing sim
liar work in a sm aller way. An association
OF ladies hss undertaken to raise the money
for a handsome building 10 hold the free
library and art collection offered by Mr.. Nash,
Of Cincinnati. The best charitable work and
the beat known benevolent institutions, nave
been the work of a similar group of Chris
L Nl1h WOhiCb, AC1 ~ "Los ohncob WhOcc AC-
cent death has cast a gloom over the whole
city. In short, there is probably no tow oil
10000 people in The republic whose eSuca'
tional, artistic and charitable interests are so
largely in the hands Of its good women 81
Memphis. Its recent remarkable festival oil
music, though supported generously by its
wealthy men, owed its artistic vitality and
its beautiful social impression very largely
TO the same Influence.
The lesson taught by the good women oil
Memphis should be deeply ~pondered by the
Southern people. Their. are twenty ladies
teaching school for $500 a yea, in that city
who are perfectly competent 10 superintend
the public school work in a Southern town
of 5000 people, and half 4 dtz'n who could
easily fill that cfice in any growing city,
Meanwhile there are ecores Of these towns
where the school work lie waiting for a supe-
rior man whom the people cannot afford, or
is muddled by an inc I'll cient mss'sr who rep
resents the world before the food. The people
in these States will do we'll to put their chiv-
airy 10 practice, and transla e the glowing
rhetoric Of their ora.ofs and poets into solid
trust and hard c,sh, in dealiog with their
superior wJm. n in heir ne = school lif". The
success OF th-ir puhIic and scademical
schooling for the next generation will de-
pend largely on bringing thousands q
these splendid girls to the from, giving them
the mesn' FIR thorough educstion Il aud
pedsgosic 'rIinipg, and placing then in PC
sitions Of r sporsib lity, with lar compensa-
ton and the high social con-id' r .tion their
public services d. % and. There lie no danger
that you ~ Soulb.ru msnhood will, ia any
wsy, b. disparaged or sborn Of its l-gi ims G
rights BY this recognition Of youue S)uihern
womanhood. There is enough good WORK
down S luth waiting TO b. done TO keep every
/ compstPuf Der,cn bu .ily emDioved L, the fuIl
extent Of C picity during he lifetime of ths
present gan=ra'iop, aud he sooner the supr.
risr young WON .n OF tn sc S ats are enabl, q
TO take their true position 10 this uppe r.
gioB Of the pubic service, he better will il
be for the nth and for The re public.
A Sermon that Lifted Him.