The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-04-25
FOR FEMININE READERS
ARGUMENT IN FAVOR OF WOMEN
TEACHERS FOR OLDER BOYS.
Wisdom of wearing Ones Best Gowns
Often-Entertaining at Restau-
rants-Odds and Ends.

Mr.. Austin Lewis argues that the best
educational results cannot be had If women
are allowed to teach boys after they have
passed out of infancy. says the WOman's
Journal. His argument is based mainly on
two fundamental ideas; that the main OBJ
.ject of education is to make a boy a sue
cessfuI fighter, and that he will not respect
a teacher who is not strong enough to mas
ter him by physical force. In our opinion,
10th these ideas are unsound. The second
Is demonstrably so. Roughly speaking. the
object OF education is threefold: to impart
Information, to develop a boys natural
powers, and to build up in him such
character that he will make the best use
OF those powers in after life. OF these the
last is the most important. Mr.. Lewis
thinks woman teacher can do the first.
but not the second third.
The best answer to theory is fact. Miss
Mary A. Ripley was for twenty years at the
head of the boys department OF the High
School in Buffalo, n. Y. She trained gen
erations of boys; and i'm whatever part Of
the world you find her pupils, they speak
of her 10 this day with extraordinary en-
thusiasm. They say that she did not merely
give them information. though she did that
In a mastery way. but she inspired them
with energy. ambition. high ideals the love
OF work. and the wish TO be of use in the
world she made "A man of me-" is the
testimony of many who are to-day holding
positions or responsibility and power. They
showed their esteem for her in every way
that they could from giving her gold
watch set with diamonds to naming street
81 Buffalo after her. OF course. Miss Rip
leg was an exceptional woman. But the
nrst-class teacher, man or woman, Is al
ways an exceptional person. There were
IN the world men who could have done as
those bows RlnleV
there was no such man candidate for head
OF the boys department of the Buffalo High
School at that time. The most important
thing IN the education of any boy is that
lie should have a superior teacher. The
question whether that teacher is a man or
a woman is of minor Importance.
The ideal system would be for boys to
have both hrst-class men and frst-class
women among their teachers all through
their education. after their earliest years
They will have 20 deal with both men and
women in after life and they need 10 learn
10 understand both the masculine and the
feminine point OF view. Ignorance of the
latter may wreck mans happiness for life
IN his domestic relations
Granted that IL is important for Il boy TO
minglc with other boys and learn TO be
"a strong. resourceful fighter" on occasions
when II Is necessary TO fight. But he gets
that I'm the rough-and- tumble or the play
ground. Mr.. Lewis seems 10 think that i'm
order 10 bring the best results a boy 5
school life should be a chronic struggle
with his teacher. in which the teachers
greater puNSlcdl strength Is 10 be an i'm
portant factor. But the hrst-class teacher
man or woman, does not have TO resort 10
physical force. and does not live I'm chronic
warfare with the pupils. He governs bv the
force OF his personality. and enlists the cor
dial cooperation Of the pupils. Multitudes
or women teachers are doing this. all over
the country. and command the entire re-
spect Of the boys. There are also many
teachers who do not succeed in enforcing
discipline and commanding respect. either
among boys or girls These are not fit to
teach