The Opelousas courier., 1895-08-03
'Mioher 0dueation of N)p.
mann.

question discussed by the pro,
gressive and truth-seeking people
of to-day than that involving the
higher education of woman. We
find in the magazines, articles
showing the scholarly views of our
best writer's on it; the daily press
is full of it; literary and social
clubs discuss it; and it forms no
small part of the subject-matter
talked of at the family fireside.
With all this talk some are arriv-
ing at street conclusions; even
our Southern people are getting
to be somewhat progressive.
Everybody knows what shams
most of our female colleges are
in the South. We have no such
institutions as Vassar and Welles-
ley where the work done is of the
highest character. We want
schools that require compliance
with a sufficiently high sta4aafd
before they confer their degrees,
and not simply graduate aFgirl in
one, two or three years. for SO
much money, according as she has
time and means to dispose Of.
We take the stand that the edu-
cation of women should be as
thorough and of as high a grade
as that of men. Because the ma
ture of the sexes is essentially diff
ferent is no reason why their edu-
cation should be different. The
natures of man and woman are
perfect compliments, each a dis
tinct part of a whole; but this
does not imply that their thoughts
should not be directed to the same
subjects. or rather that woman's
thoughts should be directed to
inferior subjects. The mental ca
pacity and ability to grasp certain
subjects vary among women as
we'll as men. Intellect is variable,
and every person should be free
to pursue all the arts and all the
sciences-all studies-with no res
trictions whatever imposed except
by the particular bent of each
mind. As to the comparative
ability of men and women to
learn, many say that the latter
have the advantage. Her percep-
ton is quicker, and the machinery
Of her mind moves with less fric-
ton. She sees the truth at once,
while men toll for it. It cannot
be denied that this is a higher en-
dowment than systematic toiling
after conclusionsrA woman's
''just because igjust Is true as a
mans logical argument. Vol
taire, in whose code woman was a
mere CIPHER, says that Zone senti-
ment of a woman it worth all
mans reasoning" Let us take
any public or private school where
boys and girls are instructed in
the same classes, and nearly al
ways the girls will be towards the
head of the class. If able to study
successfully the>same subjects as
boys when a school girl, why
should she not pass on to higher
work in the university as he does?
Some ask why a woman should
pursue the higher courses when
her life-work must be in the home.
All of us do not grant that her
sphere is merely in the home; but
leaving out the question of wo-
mans sphere, we would say that
neither men nor women study
books for facts. If that were the
object, the whole system of col
Iege education would be an eyre
giouy failure. The unframed man
Of the world, who reads tie papers
and learns from observation,
would be immeasurably superior
10 the first honor man of his class.
It is not for knowledge, but for
systematic methods of thought
md careful search after the truth
If things that we 60 to college,.
Education comes later, and it is
he result of trained faculties and
)bservant minds. Show us the
nan, unless he be a teacher, who
emembers the facts Of his text
at thirty-fve. And yet for
his shall we say that his years
'pent at college were time thrown
way? What was it that made
hat man a skillful physician, a
,uccessful lawyer, an eminent
Judge, a great writer? The dis
eliminating habits, close study,
he painstaking accuracy, the per-
everance and forethought that he
cquired while pursuing the cur
iculum of a college course were
,reat factors in bringing about
hese results. Why can't we ap-
'ly these principles to women al
o? If we admit that her highest
JUNCTION is that of wife and mo-
her, will she not be better able
o perform that function as an
ducated woman? What higher
1eal of home is there than one in
husband and wife, brother
nd sister, father and daughter
re interested in the same studies?
here must be congeniality where