The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-06-30
MISS sARAH PORTER.
A Woman's Unique Educational Work
in New England Town.

A Woman's Unique Educational Work
in a New England Town.
Professor w, Nj. Sloane, the historian
of Napoleon, writes sympathetically in
the July Century of the late Miss Sarah
Porter, and her unique educational
work at Pennington, Conn,
Miss Sarah Porter was one of the few
conspicuous builders of character In the
contemporary world of education A.
keen, incisive English visitor recently
said: How thoroughly you Americans
believe in education! We in England
do not" If we Americans "beueVe in
education" it Is because of teachers IKE
Sarah Porter, who for upward of fifty
years sent out into the world generation
after generation of women who have
proved themselves fit to carry life's
heaviest burdens in the spirit of steady,
cheerful workers. "
Wherein was she SO different from
other women? Why did she make such
an impress upon others character?
Her fundamental traits were love. of
study. love of her fellow-men, love of
nature, pleasure in communicating, UNI
renting industry unselflshness,
soundness of judgment, cheerfulness,
force of will, deep, unaffected piety.
Her daily and hourly occupation with
some useful work powerfully inculcated
unselfshness and industry 1t was as
natural for her to give as for fountain
to pour forth its water, or the sun it's
light
Her activity seemed, moreover to be
wholly without friction. She was rare
ly hurried or worried She could lay
down an intricate or abstract book to
meet some trining demand and return
at once to the work. She was remarka-
BILE, too, for never indulging in regrets.
The consequence was that she urged
her whole strength for the business in
hand, whatever this was. She was ba-
bitually prompt in decision, and imme-
diate in execution. She had a wonder
full physical constitution, one hardly less
remarkable than Gladstones This
made such continuous and intense effort
possible to her as only two or three in
generation can undertake.
Miss Porters deep distrust Of me-
chanism and fixed organization in mat
ters educational which are so much
talked of in our day, came from her
conviction that these things tend to be
regarded as in some sort a substitute
for the essential-the contract of men
tai and spiritual life in the teacher with
the answering love and spiritual life in
the pupil, She entertained many visi-
tors, who sought to find if possible,
what was the secret of the success of
her school. All who came animated by
a spirit like her own were received with
the greatest kindness, and many GUS
toms and practices which she had found
useful were practiced elsewhere, Thus
the Pennington type was reproduced,
places
One more element of a strong person
atty may be added. that of charm, This
was independent of what are ordinarily
thought of as personal attractions.
Her charm was due to the qualities Of
mind and soul which shone through the
physical habitation which they occu-
pied. One recalls the force and pro-
priety of her language. her quiet digni-
ty of manner and gesture, the freshness
and range of her thought. What were
the affection and devotion which she re-
ceived from women 1T is supertluous to
refark upon; an important testimony to
her powers of personal attraction is
found in the many enduring friendships
with long list of men of the highest
eminence-the parents of her pupils.