Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1888-05-16
Alex ANDRIA.
WEDNESDAY EVENING. MAY 1G.

op AL the dangerous innovations which
.,., ueet has made in our social system
mono threatens US more than what is caiiea
,,co.rducation." Starting from the iaise
o,oro;se that the community is like the lam
~, ,,,ov draw the necessarily false c0nelu-
a, y that es the youth of both sexes are
brought up together in the former, thty
ouoh, TO be educated together il The latter
overlooking the facts that nature heiseli IN
terrosas barriers against evil between cbli
dren Of the same family and that they nave
hath father and a mother to govern ara
direct them. while in schools, youth Oh ali
oord;tions and of all sorts of training must
bo associated without such protection.
Country schools are often pointed 10 as ex'
.mnlss of co education without harm but
the fact is Ignored that country schools are
smal, and that the character of each chiio
in the neighboihood ls usually we'll known
TO the pareats OF all the Others, and lGat,
therefore. precautions can he taken which
are impossible in city schools. Reference Is
made. too, TO the association oil children IN
;bs primary schools; but that furnishes no
argument for the mixture OF the sexes lii inc
HIGHER schools ard especially in colleges and
boarding schools, at the most impressiona
BILE age. All this, however, belongs TO the
domain of morale, Of which it ia not our
present purpose to speak. We object to 1t
because we believe it to be the fountain
which is beginning TO pour cut upon US all
sorts of dangerous iShaS. We are no assert
ora of the infelioIi!y of woman on the con-
trary. we b.lieve her, though manliestiy IN
ferior in some thines, IA for instance. In
strength and courage. to be immeasusao'y
mans superior in morals aud IN all the gra'
ces which are The charms of civil Zed lie.
We would SEQ hat she has ali needed pro-
lection and would repeal every upJust law
and abrogae every unfair custom which
does her wrong; but we do rot want her
dethroned from the queenship OF reverence
which she occupies we DO not want TO see
her degraded to the level of party politics.
or striving with men in such way that she
will lose that respect which our traditions
accord her, II fathers, husbands, sons, and
brothers have so lost their manhood That
they cannot be relied upon for tho protec-
ton oftheir daughters, wives, mothers, and
sisters, then, indeed. is our civilization
failure and our religion sham. But
what" says tho advocate Of co education,
''has all this to do with mixed schools r
We answer, much" Man needs strength
OF body and mind, courage and manliness
woman, grace and leauty, affection, forth
tude, and all the namelcss qualities which
make her the mistress Of our hearts. These
qualities are implanted in each by nature
but they need cultivation, and who Is to cul
tivale them? Either man or a woman
must preside over q school. If man, car
he teach grace and lovelincss CT character tt
his female pupils? il a woman, can she
make her boys manly and seif reliant? TIE
sexes are the complement Of each other, ant
the same education destroys their compile
mentary character and places both on the
lowest level of either The recent exhibi.
lion ia Washington, where among many
ladies cherished for their good deeds snd
usefulness, appeared some who threatened
society with tho horrors Of tho French reyo
luton, should the ballot not lie conceded
showed us the ultimate tendency of the
movement, ard recent utterances III church
assemblies show us that the evil is more
widespread than hAs been thought. Lot us
be warned in time mud keep cur Southern
homes free from the danger.