West Virginia Democrat. [volume] (Charles Town, W. Va.) 1885-1890, 1888-04-13
EDUCATION OF WOMEN.
Selected for the DEMocRAr.

Nothing is more delightful than
to teach woman. She forms per-
feet contrast to the perverseness and
insubordination that child often
offers. Call him tn his lessons, he
runs off as fast as he can; she an
ticipates the hour, she is attentive,
happy, eager for your teachings, be-
lieving in, full of Difference and re-
spect for the learning of him whom
she loves. So that even when she
is not yours, your loved one, the de-
light of your heart and eyes, by her
amiability alone she is a model pu-
pill.
Mark well, that she is pleased by
this thing at assuming this role OF q
pupil which makes her so young.
She is as much delighted to receive
these lessons as your caresses, as
anything else, since all comes from
you. She is sensitive to the gentle
encouragement, the praise, by which
you stimulate her; sensitive also to
reproaches. She does not dislike to
be scolded; but if you are very se-
we're, if you call her "Madame," she
becomes agitated, and almost weeps.
That ends the lesson. "That is
enough for to-day. Wewill read no
more"
In these charming tasks there is
but one thing to be regretted. Do
YOU wish me to tell you what it is ?
1t is that often she has not paid at
tention, she has not understood at
all, or has conceived an entirely diff
ferent matter.
Not that she may not be very in
telligent, often very intellectual.
But she is infinitely more SO for
knowledge that she derives intui-
lively than for what is impaired to
her.
But the popularity is, that here IS
place wishing nothing but to sur
render itself, to open its gates. The
mind ola woman who loves much, ,and
and feels that is loved, burns to sur
render itself without reserve, and to
become entirely subordinate. 1t
drives no hard bargain for itself.
1t wishes to yield, and it cannot.
The obstacle is not in the least
in her will.
1t is in her education;
1t is in her woman's. mature;
And, above all, in your awkward
ness.
If the educati IN of the boy is Sc
we're, that of the girl has almost al
ways been negative and barren. |
do not speak of the worldly ones,
who are spoiled, and fine ladies ut
fifteen. But the education of those
who are modestly reared, by vexa
tious contrariety, almost like that
of a plant cultivated in cellar.
They come from it sad and awk-
ward, with but little address. Time
is required to give them courage,
buoyancy, confidence in themselves.
Grace will return to them through
loving and being loved. With grace,
too, the intellect will be quickened.
They become sensible OF mental ger
mination.
But how shall the seeds be sown?
1t is very seldom that man
knows the course of instruction pre-
cisely suited to being so delicate
and so different from himself.
Either he sermoniZes, makes long
speeches, and fatigues her,not seeing
that she in no wise follows his pro-
cesses of deduction, and that she
tries in vain to listen to him.
Or it may be that, more modest,
he keeps himself back, and thinks
to act on her by reading, by books
not knowing that book truly adapt
ed to a woman has never yet been
written.
There is not one entirely suited
to young woman. You must
choose from the best that is most
fitted for her. This will vary in
finitely, according to character and
circumstances.
Reading. too varied and not dis
Greet, has deplorable effects upon
women.
They are in no wise prepared,
either by constitution or by educa-
ton, to receive all sorts of indigest
ible nourishment. Nature, reserv-
ing them for things more elevated
and more delicate, has not given
them that brutal strength of diges-
tion. which crushes and overcomes
iron, stones, poisons; which takes
only the good from them, and lives,
like Mithridates, continually poison
ed.
And when speak of polsons, l do
not even think of immoral things.
Her purity will repel them. Ispeak
of world of things unwholesome
from their very nullity--vulgar
things, useless things, which weary
/ the mind.
The man is condemned to the dai-
ly fatigue of prodigious inquiry. to
exhaust the world of details, to