New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-03-30
TOPICS IN PARIS.
: TRAINING OF GIRLS-DE LEsSEPS AND
THE SITEZ CANAL.

grade III the fnRusn ARMY ih' AA''-'
indulge IN tests at the expense of the 200 LADIES' VINO
exprcssed their sympathy for HIM in letters to the
Editor of The London STANDARD, of the mat1ons VINO
show a seyerer spirit in writing TO the EdltoI vi
The Pail Mail Gazette of the Queen ana Oh MISS
Dickinson. | am by no means ioi lutI' a'''i
ricor in Judging OF our neghbors hFes' Duo inS
long residence IN France makes me IN Ia'or Vi 'No
establishment of social state winch "ouiu cha
Ilae,er, vounq Girl to feel safe on the highway
nr in a railway carriage as IN her 1athers HOUSE,
Tho worst "prowlers' are not roughs, but persons
dressed by fashionable tailors A great reason
helieve why the United States advances sorapldiy
A. the universal respect in which girls are heId III
public places. 10 understand the advantages Oh
the manners which secure to them the tuileSI Ho-
erty to go about unattended or unWatcheu ono
,hould have lived among peoples OF Latin stoch' III
France we constantly hear that clerlcallsh mas
DESTROYED social intercourse OF an honest klhu Ne
tween the sexes and killed conversation IN the
salons This is only half or quarter truth ClerI-
calism among Irish Catholics, or at Baltimore OF
San Francisco, where the climate is warm uoe'
not show itself in distinctly separating gentlemen
from ladies' or youths from maidens at soclal
gatherings What renders upper-class french
women of our time so lncapaoie !"
act as an intellectual ferment Is the system
of keeping girls under lock and key. Al
the time of life when the mind receives IFS most
vivid impressions. when its power TO react on tueii
il strongest and when nature insists on red1Sc""o
course of lessons of her own devising the frenel
GIRL IS morally and materially a gaOl-bird Her
brother is free to look around him IN the Schoos VI
the Faculties and it may be- too free to see lie III
the Quarter Latin She remains attacheu l"
maternal apron-strings. The books she readS are
snbiect TO the closest supervision and are OF du
neutral tint She walks out with her arm linked IN
her mothers If there are couple OF sisters Ill
family they are not allowed any OF the expansion
which their age demands. When they so TO promeh-
ade their mother, governess VINO N oho'0"
because she is a small minded pedant ana 700 pam
70 he noticed in the street, is sandwiched between
Them II both parents accompany them the daughters
arm IN arm, precede them. They must not lag oe-
hind or stop to examine anything that may court
their attention but advance, looking straight
abead q few paaesin advance of their seniors frO-
priety demands that they keep well in sight OF the
after.
The unfortunate mother who is not rlch
enough 10 keep gOverness must go WIN
her daughters to those dreadful co"rs OF
classes organized with view to enaDlhg
fs1nsals of good families to pass diploma eXahnha
tons At these history Is dictionary OF
names and dates. Historical characters are the
,oarast dry homes There is not time when these
skeletons are being examined in class for young
mind silently to clOthe them with muscles, nerves
md flesh. Those personal characteristics which
TAX. a graphing hold on the memory are washed
mt. Catherine de Medici might stand IN the
shoes of Blanche of Castillo and the puph
stuffed with dates relating TO them would not sus
pect the substitution All the hteraturels "a uSHm
delphini and scrappy. The last thing that occurs
90 parents and teachers is that each mind wanting
food that suits tas ties and digestive capacities
sbould be allowed wide range in which to choose
- A taf+a Of Madame de SeVIgue
vronld 70 one express no ideas beyond the literal
meaning of the words; but would open to another
vista upon brilliant but now extinct social
state.
hons even a good deal-in the system on which
these classes are conducted. The Church mas
always been afraid of the uneXpuIgated book
though lenient in other things. believe
That many French teacher who remains
nuII;tv wouId be stimulated, as
nv Muse. 10 put forth his best intellectual gifts
I'm lecturing at the coars / speak of. were there
hot nv the side of each pupil an elderly lady IN
whom an enthusiasm is dried up and who looks on
with Grundyish eyes. How expand and folio" the
leading of the inner light IN the presence OF such
adragon9 She not only uses mp the respirable ar
of the classroom, but imposes tactly her old-iash
toned preiudices on those who have come to teach
and learn Ii she audiby expressed them, the pro-
lessor would KNOW WutIt " lldNt utl anu ~" w.
make her feel she was in the wrong. But as she
Only disspproyes by faint signs when he is original
he is cowed and " shut up" doubt whether this
had system can be bettered long as grls are not
well protected by laws and manners.
An eleouent Deputy who was obliged
eighteen years ago TO quit France
so as to escape political prosecution tells
me that in the United States, because OF the
profound respect in which girls and women are
held nothing can be more enchanting than youth
fnl society nor more "honn6te.' When he went
there he had to do something 10 live and set mp as
lecturer in a New England athenGum. He began
on French lines. One day he received round
robin from the pupils who were young meu and
young girls They informed bin that they did
not want Outlines" which they could obtain
themselves in q public library, but to know how
the great French authors dealt with the tender
passion. All of them, save one were engaged, and
nothing could interest them more than 10 hear how
Ilustrious French men and women in their situ2-
ticn wrote and spoke. The lecturers
tOnene was embossed by the rOund-rObln.
IL was liberated from narrow conYentlonalIsm
and discoursed with such eOquence upon the hero
ines of Racine and the Grande-Dame MUSES. of Jean
Jacques that the unengaged pupil fell in love with
him and then he with her. Naturally they got
married and she has worthily shared his greatness
in Paris They might have been engaged and not
married But the young girl in that case wouid
not have been the victim. The swain would have
survived bis disappointment, for Romeo soou for
gets a capricious RosamOnd.
II is Of far greater Importance to British interests
that young ladies should go in peace and honor to
India Australia, New-Zeaand, and so on by them
selves, to meet finances, otherwise seek their
fortunes than for a series of battles 10 be gained
IN the Soudan. To give an idea how
French girls are kept in leading-strings. and how
time and parental strength are wasted in looking
after them, cannot do better than relate the fol-
lowing incident: Last summer / went 10 stay at