The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-02-04
rEIsH LIGHT EDUCATION.
Among women-Paichwork of Blots and
Mistakes.

mltidhtb
II may net be palatable fact, but this
is certainly the age Of flash light educa-
ton among the women.
Numbers Of women now know all about
Latin trochees and the Aboriginese of
American history. Well. these are ex-
celent topics for essays; but it would
be vastly better TO teach these women
how TO write a receipt or how TO answer
an advertisement. or 10 make, IL neces-
ssry, an application by letter for a po-
sition.
Consider the great cost of a college girl
Consider the great waste of her ambi-
ton caused by the disorganized state Of
female institutions of learning.
Hundreds OF dollars are spent in Fore
ing girls TO study music-girls who have
no taste or talent for IT, They are taught
10 execute" 1. C., 10 behead the art of
all its poetry and soul. There are hun
dreds Of pianos huddled away in this
town that are never touched by their
owners. who were graduated as experts
In music, as fine pianists. If we are
taught to read, but do not read. of what
use is our knowledge? School work bears
the same relation to education as a tut
tion in wood work does TO expert carpen-
try IL one Is taught how to measure
and saw and plane, how TO use a gimlet
and how TO make few simple joints; If
he goes no further, and never uses his
knowledge in making or mending. he
might almost as well not have 1t. What
we want to-day Is not woman's rights,
not womans federation, council, or con-
gress, but a system OF education more
practical than theoretic, an education in
the schools by which the simple rudi-
ments may be so placed as to form n
solid foundation for a higher education,
II the girl has talent for it, or desires st.
These simple rudiments must be so taught
that they of themselves will be all sufi-
cicnt for the emergencies of the every
day woman in her everyday life.
Latin and Greek verse. acoustics, OPP
tics, anatomy. mental and natural phi
loscphy are all very well in their place.
but a knowledge of the first rules Of arith-
metic will do more towards enabling us
to keep rogues off and to pay honest
men their due.
Seldom do we hear of women becoming
Napoleons OF finance like Mrs. Hetty
Green, whose stocks and bonds. by the
way, seemed to kill all the womanli-
ness and chills all the milk of her human
kindness: but every year or two. now we
hear OF Seniorita Wranglers i'm modern
society. They flash out at us with all their
high, higher highest mathematics. They
extract cube roots, and they make us
feel as uncomfortable i'm their society as
the dentist does when he extracts tooth
roots. What becomes of all this erudi-
ton OF the unprecedented maiden? The
whole world knows that they are not in
matrimonial demand. and after the little
furry of the 'crammed for" examination,
II may use the expression is over, these
clever girls settle down TO a school teach
er's position at poor salary of 5000
thought 20 conquer knows of them no
more. The tribes OF school teachers
turned out yearly amounts to a calamity.
when we consider the fact that the best
talent is available for so little per month
The chances for a poor girl TO work her
way through college are very slight, and
lie almost exclusively through the medi-
un1 OF scholarships. Vassar. for instance
being possessed of about S150.0o0 invested
In scholarships. and these funds carry
about fifty poor girls through the course.
Ten Vassar graduates are In Japan,
struggling as missionaries, hundreds OF
them are at home. having forgotten all
their Latin In the endeavor TO study the
subject OF economy In food and the man
agement OF home.
There is one variety OF woman, the In
tellectual snob. who deserves particular
mention. She is constantly bearing down
on us with serious conversation. She
cannot understand the need for relaxa-
tion. She always has few remarks on
literature or art ready 10 thrust into any
conversation. They do this for the sake
OF appearing cultured The babbe of
refreshing nothings IL far more tolcrable
than this spectacular snob who makes
an appearance as impressive as her means |
Will allow. Sometimes she fades out of |
sight and recollection quickly; but she |
Is liable TO fasten upon us and make |
peaceable escape impossible.
The man or woman who talks to IN |
struct us or who talks to show off are |
alike enemies OF the race. The only terms |
on which intellectual conversation is adj |
Missile Is when IL doye-tails In. as a fair
exchange Of opinions. Especially are /
the women TO be avoided who Law stress
upon thorough knowledge. This is al
ways prelude 70 n glorhcation OF some |
reconcile branch OF study on which they
have spent years OF drcary grinding. II |
II also the fashion among persons who |
esteem themselves literary or scientific be-
yond others TO decry newsps pers and the
education and mental training that they |
supply 70 millions who have not had the