Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-07-26
THE DEAR GIRLS.
Should They be Sent Away to
Boarding School?
ARGUMENTS PRO AND CON.
Famous Women Discuss q Question Of
Vital Importance to Every Mother.
Opinions of Mrs. II. W. Beecher
and Marion Harland.
Copyright 1891. All rights reserved. For the
Gazette

Copyright 1891 All rights reserved. For the
Gazette.l
How best to educate their girls is ques-
ton which has always caused much anxiety
to conscientious, 1udicious mothers. A lady
friend Of mine has been considering anX-
iously for some time past the ACCESSIBILITY
OF sending her sixteen-year-Old daughter-a
very beautiful and talented girl,-to fash
ionable boarding school in New York,
whittier the young lady herself is very anX-
ious to go. Having strong doubts of the
good effect of boarding schools upon girls,
my friend has addressed letter to several
of the best known and most distinguished
women of our broad land requesting their
opinion and advice upon this subject. Her
letter, together with some of the replies
she has received, she has kindly permitted
me, at my earnest request, to publish here
troubled in mind over this question,
which becomes more and more all-important
as the time for school to open in the fall
draws steadily nearer.
GEoFFREY WILLIsToN CHRISTINE.
THE LETTER OF INQUIRY.
Dear Madame.
am considering the question of sending
my sixteen year-old daughter to boarding
school in New York next fall, as she is
very anxious to go. Do you think it well
to send girls to boarding schoolsl l have
always thought it unwise to thus deprive a
girl of home and maternal influences. Am
right or wrong2 Do you not think she
would be exposed to many physical and
moral dangers in any boarding school, no
matter how well conducted2 It has always
seemed to me that the best school for a
girl is home, and her best teacher cult
ured and refined mother. DO you agree
hot Ii ll,-
favor me with your views, l remain re-
specially yours, Mrs. - -.
MRS. HENRY WARD BEECHER THINKS BOARD
ING SCHOOL EXPERIENCE MAY
BE VALUABLE.
Mrs. Henry Ward Beecher, the honored
widow of him who was the foremost pulpit
orator of America, writes as follows:
BROOKLYN, June q, 1891.
DEAR MADAM-Home is undoubtedly the
best school for our girls, but, as in all prob
ability they will, in time, be called to leave
it, think little experience away from
home would be a wise preparation for an
other life and home which may by and by
be offered and accepted. But of course if
sent from the home school, it would be
very important that the very best school
outside of home should be selected. |
should wish that such school should not be
in the heart of a great city, like New York,
but one adjoining, where girl should form
some idea of city life without living in it.
know of none equal to Wellesley college
and the various departments belonging to
it: where girl can secure solid educa-
ton without going through the full college
course if desired. One granddaughter of
mine graduated at the college. Her younger
sister did not, but took the course at Dana's
Hall. connected with the college. What
saw of these two courses gave me the high
est ideas of boarding schools and colleges
for girls when properly conducted.
Hoping l have met your wishes, though
have written in very great haste, remain
yours truly,
Mrs HENRY WARD BEEcHER
MARIAN HARLAND SAYS IT DEPENDS ON THE
GIRL.
Marian Harland (Mrs. Terhune) who is so
widely known not only through her novels,
but also her admirable essays on everything
pertaining to home life, sends the appended
letter.
SUNNYBANK, PoNPToN, N. j., July 1. 1891.
My DEAR 1t lis hard to give
a categorical answer to your question. So
much depends upon circumstances. have
educated my own daughters at home because
living in the city they could have masters
for all / could not furnish. My son also at
tends Columbia college in order that we may
have him with US at night. But girl like
your daughter, who is well rooted in prin-
ciple, vet ambitious. may well long to see
something of the great world whose hum
she hears from afar You cannot always
be at her side and you do not want her to
become provincial. l travelled with my girls
for two years in England and on the CONT
nent, keeping them at school (day school
in the winter. My eldest daughter also
took an elective course at Smith college
while we lived in Springfield, Mass. Had
we remained there l am afraid that l should
have denied my heart the inexpressible
comfort of having them with me all the
time, and sent them to New York to be
brosdened. Small towns asphyxiate "live
people, :" unless air be let In from the outer
world.
Were 1 in your place, should be guided
by what know of the girls natural bent
and habit of thought. If she wishes a city
school that she may have "a good time,''
keep her at home. If she is filled with an
unsuitable longing to know more, to acquire
knowledge for the sake of knowledge, and
if the promptings of that longing are ever
present with her; if, in short, your daugh-
ter longs to grow, and if she has thus far
proved herself entirely trustworthy at all
times and under all circumstances, should
send her to such school as Rutgers female
college or Packer institute, and place her
under the special care of the principal. I
have written thus plainly because you have
honored me by asking my advice. and life
is too short to be spent in fencing with
truth, and to borrow the words of Mrs
Grips in David Copperfeld," II am
mother myself, Mr.. Copperfeld." l am,
my dear, sincerely yours,
MARIAN HARLAND.
FRANCES E. WIZARDS SENTIMENTS.
Probably there is no woman on the
American continent to-day bearing name
more widely known and loved than Frances
f. Willard, president of the s'World's and
National Woman's Christian Temperance
Union She evidently agrees with the
writer Of the letter of inquiry in thinking
that girls truest, best teacher is her
mother, as will be seen below:
EVANSTON, Ill, June 90, 1891
MY DEAR FRIEND-Al other things be-
ing equal, l would say most emphatically to
all mothers, keep your dear girls at home.
If, however, you should decide to send your
daughter away to school, by all means be
particular to send her to none other than a
strong, progressive institution, such, for
example, as Holyoke, Wellesley, Smith,
Vassar or Boston university.
''Them's my sentiments"
But in spite of all that can be said in
praise of any educational institution under
heaven, l firmly believe that '!mothering''
is the best and the most liberal of all educa-
tons. God bless you and yours PRAYER
fully yours, FRANCES E. WILLARD.
MRS. E. ]. PHINNEY BELIEVES IN BOARDING
SCHOOLS.
Mrs. E. J. Phinney, as president of the
Partisan National Christian Temper
ance Union,'' is almost as well known as
Miss Willard. She expresses her views as
follows:
u N~0x- d W.