The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-10-16
Industrial School for Women.

THE subject of more thorough education
for our girls, is we are glad to see, interesting
the women of our land very generally. This
Is evidenced by the communications that con-
stantly appear in our daily papers from women
bringing the subject before the legislature and
asking for help. Certainly it Is something in
which every woman should be interested, and
should lend helping hand to advance the
cause. When we look around and see what
miserable opportunities our girls of the humble
classes have for enabling them to procure an
education, or to fit themselves in any way to
battle with life, it becomes serons matter for
our consideration. There is among our girls
perfect mania for teaching, and yet all cannot
teach, and many that do, are not competent
Take for instance the free school system in the
country half of the teachers are perfectly in
Competent. receive letters constantly from
young girls who tell me they have been teach
ing year, and they spell much and such with
at-"mutch," etc. Children write that their
teacher requires letter to be written once
week, and they decide to write their school
letter to me. It is sent after being submitted
to the teacher, and scarcely a word in it
spelled correctly, and never capital I, but
most of the other words begin with capitals
where you would least expect them. Teach
ing is all that is left for these girls; making a
living by the needle is Improbable, for want
OF opportunities, while cooking and housework
require much training besides the physical
strength, which many women do not possess,
and therefore, cannot undergo manual labor.
There is then nothing left but for true benevo-
ience to open up larger field OF labor appro
pirate to the strength and condition of our sex.
This can hedone by our legislators, and should
be.
Is it fair that the boys should receive all the
advantages and the girls none? and yet this is
what is being done all over the south, with,
however, some exceptions which it delights
MS to note. Georgia has heretofore taken the
lead in all good works, and is truly the empire
state of the south, but she has allowed her
sister state, Mississippi, to leave her far be-
hind in the good work of educating and adj
vancing women all praise to the noble men of
Mississippi who are helping in this grand
work. This is what they have done, the legis-
lature has enacted a provision for an in
dustrial school for girls:
1.-THE law specifies that the board of trustees
created by the act shall be charged with the
establishment and maintenance of a first-class
industrial institute and college for the educa-
ton of white girls of the state of Mississippi,
in the arts and sciences, at which such girls
may acquire q thorough normal school educa-
ton, together with knowledge of kinder
garten instruction, also knowledge OF tele-
graphy, stenography and photography; also a
knowledge of drawing, painting, designing and
engraving in their industrial application; also
knowledge of bookkeeping, with such other
practical industries as from time to time. to
them may be suggested by experience, or tend
to promote the general object of said institute
and college to-wit: fitting and preparing such
girls for the practical industries of the age"
Why cannot Georgia do the some for her
daughters. Would this not be good way to
dispose of part Of the surplus il our treasury?
There are many positions occupied by men
(who are Strong and able to go out and do
hard work. that could be filed by women, had
they only been fitted by education for them;
this is what an industrial school will do.
This subject is dear to my heart, and would
be to any who could read the hundreds of
letters get weekly from all over the land
begging for work, and asking, "What can I do
to make living?" Let our women keep this
subject constantly before the public it is the
only way in which we can hope to accomplish
anything; by constant importantly We will at
last succeed.