New-York tribune., 1905-08-26
City Schools for Counfry Girls.
advantages for Social Training Go Hand With Edu
Catonal Facilities.

The Cocks became the cultured race they
We're by reason OF their ur,s. . life. Constant
rubbing OF elbows compelled good breeding in
terchange of thought increased their power of
speech. and contiguity necessi.ated forbearance
Of the faults and the cultivation Of the virtues
OF their neighbors-
We so to the city to-day for polish" as did
Bob Acres years ago in Sheridan's comedy And
IL is this seeking FOR polish-a polish she can
not find AT hor&-that drives the country girl
from her village to the metropolis polish Of
thought as well of finger nails
There used to be a fallacy afoat that no good
work could be done by students in large cities;
that the very size of the place initiated against
its success as an educational centre And in
large measure it is true that Cor boys and young
the smaller town is better suited TO studi-
application than the larger city But what
is good for the boy is not necessarily best for
his sister who needs a different kind of dis
cipline and culture She is not being taught the
same branches is she educated for the same
life work She is being fitted for the parlor,
while ne is being trained for the counting house.
His business would be much out of place
in her domain as her accomplishments in his.
Now. for the peculiar accomplishments needed
by all young ladies the large city offers abundant
choice In the first place in city school the
girl from the country is bound to meet a larger
number Of girls of culture and position than in
her home school. She is brought into daily con-
tact with those who are at least as highly fav
ored by birth and breeding as herself She is
compelled-as the oldtime Greeks-to Tuo
elbows and 10 exchange greetings with those
who have perhaps had greater social advantages.
Students have a fundamental right to the
training and culture which only the best social
environment can give, and The large city offers
first of all the inducement Of the best society.
M AravT Tas.y
and other social centres entertain their guests
is often an requirement of a boarding school in
some large city Every girl viii have make
friends among girls in the school who are resi-
dents Of the city and these Will naturally have
the entree TO the best houses, and thus THAI
familiarity with good breeding that comes only
from personal contact becomes a habit.
In all large cities there are certain centres OF
musical dramatic and art culture that i'm
possible To be had in smaller places, and. while
ii is true that in some small university towns
there may be one two galleries containing Il
few pictures and bits Of statuary or two
professors who have made a study of dramatic
literature and possibly a singing society or
small orchestra that has weekly or monthly con-
certs there is nothing in the small town TO take
the place Of the larger advantages of the city
Take, for example, the city of New-York.
Here are gathered season 2cter season the great
est musicians the finest actors and the best
pictures. There are in New-York over fifty
theatres No city pays so lavishly for her dra-
matte feasts, and city gets more for her
money The finest productions of the classics
in Fsnglich German French and Italian are to
be had within the city precincts; the most mod
ern comedy or farce, as well. and the greatest
txponents OF the drama. be they German. Eng
lish Polish Russian or Chinese 1t is no un-
common thing to see dozen or more members
of certain city schools listening to of these
attractions.
As an art centre New York leads the western
world What with her public and private
galleries her local artists and visitors from
across seas her exhibitions Of paintings, OF
sculpture and Of architecture. no one who wishes
TO learn and enjoy need go begging for instruc-
ton or opportunity. These accessories or art
are urged upon the young ladies here at school,
and those who so desire may gain an educa-
tion in art that will assist them through life.
10 the young lady's education, they form more
of an integral part Of it than is usually sup
nosa6. and she who attends art exhibitions.
listens 10 the Philharmonic concerts and sees
shakesDeare and Ibsen and the modern AInerl-
car and English playwrights at their best must
20 ,eceeeitv acquire a something impossible for
her sister who devOtes her time TO lhe stuuy VI
French verbs and logarithIns-
II is also a fact that in the city schooi one Is
ant 10 find not only all these accessories. hut
asnert teachers as Wei. competent guides OF
Inc trains and the bodies Of the young ladies'.
II is but natural that the best instructors
ebould seek and be engaged for, the best posi-
lions and many of the best positions nat
urally held in the schools of the large cities
g-he urinary derivation of the word ''educa-