Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-05-25
THE GIRL GRADUATE.
A Plea for Her Physical Welfare and
Domestic Training.
HER DUTIES AFTER GRADUATION.
The Preparation of the Last Literary
Production of the Course.
PROGRESS In The THESES CHOSEN
WRITTEN FOR THE DrsPArcH.1

time is not far distant when we shall wit
ness these same charming apDaritions fit
ting hither and thither, not only along the
streets of our large cities, but down the
shady avenues of our suburban towns;
lovely, fresh, bewitching. as ilmy gowns,
sheen of silk and lace, streaming ribbons,
braios of golden and raven hair, cut how-
ers and their Is or 10 years can make them.
They have endured much. They have
passed creditable-In some cases huge
examination, and are now supposed to know
the contents of the books they have studied.
At last the prison house is opening wide its
portals and is sending them forth into the
long-wished for freedom of the world. They
have but to read their essays and retire.
The progress of the age is nowhere
more clearly shown than in the changes
that have been going on in this matter Of
graduating exercises during the past six or
| seven years. Girls seem to dread publicity
more than they formerly did, and display
decided aversion to be heard talking,
reciting, declaiming and reading outside
the walls of drawing room. They keep
the feeling under control, nevertheless it
exists; and though few break down under
the nervous strain, at the time, have seen
the paper from which they read shake in
their hands, and have caught the tremulous
tones of their voices.
Let no one rashly conclude that these
young women have their final compositions
manufactured for the occasion by some one
else. 1t would be doing them q great in
justice. know of some schools where the
practice still prevails of patching up and
improving" the papers until scarcely a
word of the original remains; but l have
been behind the scenes for some years past,
and know that this nefarious practice is
falling into disuse, and is to-day, compare
lively rare.
THE GRADUATING EFFORT.
The plan actually pursued is as follows:
The thesis for graduation is decided upon,
after much thought on the part OF the
pupil, and research and advice on that of
the teacher. Two months at least is allowed
for the work; no tightening of the regular
studies being permitted. At the end Of
April the rough diamond is handed over to
one of the faculty, in case of production in
a foreign language, the Professor of
that department. The polishing process
is then begun by the teacher looking care
fully over each manuscript; jotting down
corrections, changes and suggestions to be
made, these limits being followed by the
pupils own work until there is developed
highly creditable paper; always with the
aid and under the direction of a teacher, it
is true, care, however, being taken to pre-
serve the students own ideas.
1t needs but glance at an old Vassar
College programme to show the radical
change which has been going on below the
surface. Dreams" "Ideals," "Patriot-
ism, progress" are some of the insipid
and threadbare topics of those old days.
Our young women are more practical, hence
they discourse on, Every Man in His
Humor," "The Renaissance" Modern
Fiction, ;" etc. "La Beaute'du Disble" was
the singular subject chosen by a remarka-
bly, bright young Western girl last year.
Another maiden discoursed on "Dichtung
und Wahrheit." And yet in spite of this
practical tendency and with all our modern
Improvements in the line of women's uni
verslties and colleges, special duties, elect
i've courses and the like, do not many
young girls exceed their strength, enfeeble
their constitution, and leave the school,
room without any real preparation for life
and its responsibilities?
LEAVES THEM INvALIDs.
Do not many of them undertake too much,
often urged by ambitious parents and teach
ers to almost superhuman exertions, and
with misplaced affection and cruel kind
ness, to such degree that after the high
lights of scholastic festivities are removed
they give forth the characteristics of in
validism, perhaps marry, and then all too
soon pass to the life beyond? Doall maidens
need to study Latin, or Greek, algebra and
literature, drawing and botany, with not a
hint of physical culture or department,
ofh Anfi of
the American girl?
Do not imagine that underrate the value
of good education. knowledge is power,
but knowledge is valuable only as it is
made available. Suppose the average young
business man Of "a or % takes wife and
rents a house. Has the high school or the in
stitute prepared this same young woman as
best it ought to superintend the cooking of
his food, the keeping of his house in order,
and the rearing of such little chill
dren as the years may bring? Yet,
and in spite of all that has been
written to the contrary, this will be
the chief duty in lile for most American
women. Is there, therefore, anything in
the whole realm of learning so important az
on these subjects? Suppose
there are 5000 maidens between the
ages OF Is and 20 in our two cities.
and suppose the State sets out to edu-
cate them, ought 1t in reason to teach them
Latin, and the natural
sciences, and exclude the arts OF housekeep-
ing, the ethics of civilization, the knowl-
edge of now to keep the body alive and to
strengthen it to endure and DEFY disease?
Should a good school be theater where
only the fittest survive, where pupils daily
pursue their studies at every hazard to their
health? Have the schools anything more
precious than health to give to the American
girl?
HEALTH IS PRICELESS.
The greatest blessing we can confer on
,ur daughters is not knowledge OF mathe-
natics, nor the skill of fine musical per-
ormer; neither is it the ability 70 converse
luently in any of the modern languages,
1aluable and desirable as all these studies
ire for disciplining the mind and cultivat-
ng the taste; but health, good normal
physical condition, which will equip girls
Is well as bows for the battle Of life. Why
hen insist upon their spending time on
tudIes Tor which they have no taste? False
eaching is a serious error, especially when
t proceeds by set rule and allows no in
liyidual deviation from the prescribed line.
A reform of the monotonous scholastic
,ropramme is sadly needed in many of our
chools. Too little thought is given to the
m biect and the consequence is o sense of
Irudgery and lack of interest The reason
ng power needs more development; indeed,
nj the faculties should receive proper at
ention, not special aptitudes be given the
reference to the detriment of others.
The world has need Of strong, healthy. ca
able women so trained that they shall be
tied to fll any station in life, and the intel
,ctual part of their nature should suffer
eglect sooner than undergo Improvements
! the risk of lowering the physical stand