The Dickinson press., 1889-08-03
WOMAN AND HOME.
THE CoNTAGlON OF MANNERS AND
ERRONEOUS IDEAS THEREON.

Tie Hcroism of Little Nellie Earry-Othcr
Courageous Acts by tho "Wcakcr'' Sex.
We'll Meant Suggestions to the Sisters.
a Beautiful Epitapll.
AT a large public meeting the other day,
several of the speakers urged the value of
public school discipline, pointing out the adj
vantage Of bringing children of different
social circles together in school rs in life, and
the permanent good arising when the child of
the professional man, for Instance, is beaten
in his studies, us sometimes happens, by the
Child of the day laborcr. All such illusions
Invariably brought applause from a very
well educated and generally well to do audi
cnce. Ent it was observable that these argu-
inents all began and ended with boys. Not n
word was said 10y any speaker about the ad-
vantagcs or disadvantages, if any, of giving
to girls the same discipline, and this omission
seemed rather to vitiate tho argument. AS
tho education and even tho employments of
the two SEXES are plainly coming nearer to-
gether-contrarN 10 what used to he predict
"a! as the result of advancing civilization-it
would seem that the problem of education
must he in this respect much the same for
both. Vet there are undoubtedly many pa
rents who. while able to see the advantages of
y more public education for boys. draw tho
line there. and demand for their growing
daughters what is called "a select school,"
Ny OWL impression is that this distinction
is a mistake, and that whatever arguments
apply 10 public school education for boys
must reach girls also. In the first place, girls
need, even more than boys. 10 learn at school
the qualities and merits of those in u differ
nsf Su,i,j .i,.,f, ,,r,,L, - tt,,,, L., ,., I..-.
it then. they may never learn it. Mon learn
it all through their lives, because almost
every department of business brings into con
tact and comparison those trained in very
dli.eicnt spheres, Women not engaged in
business have much less opportunity for this
contact, then homes include but two grades
employers and employed, and outside of
their homes it is only some rare occasion of
church work or charitable work which brings
women into that easy Intercourse with those
ont of their own set which is so familiar to
lncn. III Jane Maria does not learn ut school
that the daughter of tho coal HEAVIER or tho
washcrwonlan may he as good II scholar, or
even have us good manners us herself. she
may never have another opportunity where
as her brother may make the same discovery
in college vi in business. SO far, then, the
neal of this free early intercourse would
seem even greater in case of the girl.
The answer 10 this would be that the risk
Of contamination in morals and manners will
also he greater in case of the girl. Is this so
ccrtainE 1t is useless to dcny that in certain
large cities populated largely hy lately ar
rived foreigners there lla% be some ground
for this fear; but it must not be carried far.
1t must always he remembered that, FORUM
atclH for our civilization, the race and re-
l!gi"n most largely represented among these
very foreigners happen to maintain a high
standard of feminine purity; and tllnt, there
fore, as To the most important essentials, the
danger l., less than one might suppose. If it
he said that in case of Il girl there should he
absolutely III danger at all, ii can only be an
s,ycre,l that no such security has ever been
discovered, since the convcntual system of
education certainly does not ctlcc; it.
Even as TO manners the most exclusive lri
vato school may still leave much To he de-
sired. The more exclusive it Is, the more Ger
tam ii j. t!iat some very rough lnatcrinl will
he sent there To lc made into shape. i have
heard an anxious paltn, deplorc tllat the oc-
ca>iunal outbreaks Of ller little girl in the
direction oil lu.ienc>s;l and slang We're generally
traced To the carefully selected children OF
til" city school, and not To The offspring OF
country Llacl,lnilhs and farm lahorrl,s with
whom She played nj their summer llolnc.-T.
w III. in liarpcr's Bazar.