Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-10-23
An Educational Pioneer.

real founder of Newman college.
Strange as it seems, this pioneer of
women's education in England was an
American born, and bred throughout
her youth in Charleston, S. c. Taking
up her home in England, she loved to
go into the national schools and talk
| to the children, and as she lived IN
! Liverpool, it was easy for her, who
| loved teaching better than anything
else IN life, to cross the border into
Wales and help along there. On Sun
! day she taught a school OF her own
gathering, and always told the chill
dren plenty OF stories, for, she said,
They get plenty of dull learning in
| their weekdays" When her father
died ii became necessary to help out
the family expenses and she had
home school. Mrs. Humphrey Ward
was one of her pupils. For 10 years
her school was at Amblcside, and
during this time her mind increasingly
dwelt upon the necessity of extending
women's educational privileges. The
Council of Education" with its lect-
in 1867, was her work, and this ended
in the Cambridge examination for
girls Prof, Sidgwick, great pro-
moter of this scheme, insisted upon
Miss Clough taking charge Of the
home for girls attending the lectures.
When Newman had ceased to be a
dream and was taking shape IN bricks
mi r.
ed the building and proved herself
capable Of managing strike Of the
wor6men. For five years she had the
entire household on her hands and ar
ranged the work of each student. Hell
old pupils say that she was kindness
itself. full of sympathy, and with a
peculiar gift of knowing the character
and qualities of each girl, and the
best way to manage her.
When size grew old, Miss Clough did
not rest from her labors, but added tc
them. She begun and fostered the
; "University association of women stu
DENTS" she organized a university
settlement at Southwark, East Lon
don, and anticipated the university ex
tension by opening her house during
summer vacation to elementary teach
ers Her life was not without its
sorrows. The death of her brother
Arthur Hugh Clough, the poet, who
was her friend and adviser in all hel
work, was a blow from whose crush
ing force she never recovered, but she
steadily maintained a cheerful de
meanor and was always ready to hell
and comfort all who needed sucf
service.
The New ChiIdren's Court.
2 Many as are the efforts made tC
: help and save poor children, especially
:. in cities, there are yet not enough, fol
: they need everything. Where fathers
2 and mothers would bring them III
7 | carefully, the necessity for ceaseless
t toll on their part inhibits them. Ye
the upbringing Of these children is O.
r the very greatest importance. Or
t their physical and normal welfare de
I ponds the safety and progress of the
country, and no money spent, no pains
. taken are too great, to educate then
} into good citizens. Among the lates
t and one of the very best reforms in
Y stituted in New York city is the
children's court, which opened for its
} first session on September 2, with
S Justice Olmstead on the bench. There
4 are not wanting in the great cities
f kind-hearted and self-sacrifcing WON
. en- who frequent the courts when chill
;; dren are on trial, to watch over theil
2 cases, and at the end do what may be
done to help the young offender anC
comfort the often dazed and fright
ened girl or boy who has had the sick
ening experience of arrest, confine
ment and trial for the first time, anC
- is ready to become hopelessly cringing
= or brazen, according to temperament
y 1t is sad thing that little children
from five and six and upward should
possibly be accused of crimes, but
since that, with civilization as it is
cannot be averted, the best that can
be done is such a children's court as
has now been established in New
York.
Justice Olmstead is said to be a
very k1uuIy man, ana possessed OF
great patience and able to gain the
confidence of children, so that they
usually are able to tell their stories
to him easily. Then the courtroom,
which is in the Old Charities building
at 66 Third avenue, is large and airy,
with nothing about it to designate it's
intent, and the children arrested out
OF court hours can no longer be placed
in prison or police station, but are
housed for the night in the rooms of
the society for the prevention of cruel
ty to children, and when brought to
trial boys and girls wait in separate
rooms until they are summoned into
court. The judge takes the part of
father, rather than judge, and the
principle underlying this benevolent
departure from the severer aspect of
justice bring not conviction o. crime
and punishment so much as the effect
Of counsel and kindly reproof it is
hoped that in large percentage of
cases the first offense" will be the
only one. There are other juvenile
courts in this country, but none so
carefully managed, so pleasantly
housed, and no other that holds SEES
sions every weekday Of the year, ex-
cept during holidays The benefit of
! this last point is evident to all, as the
/ detention of offenders while waiting
! for trials is one Of the worst things