The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-04-07
WOMAN s PART IN
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
y
Able Paper Contributed by Super
intcndcnt J. K. Fulton, OF
Grayson.
ls ELOQUENT AND FORCEFUL
is ELOQUENT AND F0RCEFUL
Fays Fine Tribute to the Patience
and Loyalty ofFemalc
Teachers.

On "Woman's Part in Public Educn-
ton" Superintendent j. x. Fulton of
Graygon submitted a very able paper
in the discussion Of that subject at tho
Educational Conference here last year.
The courtly and distinguished bach
elor superintendent may not speak
from experience but mono of his hear
gers could doubt for n moment the COR
rectncss and keencss of his power of
observation as evidenced by tho re-
marks that adorn his opening para
graphs which read as follows:
I'm discussing briefly this subject,
desire to consider, first, the value of
woman recognized, and, secondly, her
special fitness and potency as teacher.
Emerson was once asked, What
is Civilizations He replied a good
woman Doctor Talmage said that
'Woman's position in the world is high
er than MANS One has said, no less
truly than quantity, that man is dust
refined. but woman dust doubly re-
fined Walter Scott wrote in Just COM
pliment Of her when he said:
When pain and anguish wiring the
brow
A ministering angle thou
A Noble Lesson.
Queen Vashti became queen Of all
| time when she put aside the royal
| splendors of the palace of Shushan and
| came out of it's gate homeless, house
less. pcnniless. friendlcts to trudgo
\ through life with q broken heart,
rather than grant the Kings request,
which she thought beneath the dignity
4 of true womanhood. What change
from regal position to wayfarer's
crust! a woman giving UP palatial
! luXuriousness for what she conceived
to be plain duty. Is there anything
more sublime? This sacrifice teaches
that great wealth, crown, courtly at
4 tendants and an imperial wardrobe
4 are not necessary to make a queen
i but that graces of the heart and life
will give coronation to any woman.
Woman Is not a sort of after.
1 thought, a parentess in the masculine
4 volume, an adjunct to man, and, there.
fore, his Inferior and slave, as thu
4 heresy of Paganism teaches. No: she
is his equal and In many respects his
superior. She is not dependent an,
more than he. The fact that she wa.
taken from mans side and made :.
an help meet for him shows his dire
need of her assistance, and establishes
their absolute equality
A Different View.
Superintendent Fulton continues a
! follows:
"In Pagan nations woman has al
ways been considered as mans infer
Tor and treated as his slave. She wa
denied the blessings Of education
which not only destroyed the raG.ar 2
! of her home, but made her life one o
hopeless drudgcry.
How different woman's condition i
Christian countries! She Is intimatel
connected with the greatest events an
circumstances which affect our race
not In temporal things only, but i
.. eternal things also; not in object
which concern the body merely, bu
in the history Of the SOUL
Tor this changed condition In won,
ans life and sphere of action, she
indebted to Christianity and educatio
. christianity teaching the unequalle
: doctrine Of faith and immorl44lty Q
!. earth peace, good will, brotherly love
education preparing her for an ,lnss
!. our race should be that these two iniu
! ences are at work extending to woma
equal opportunities with man, an
teaching thcir mutual dependence an
helpfulness! How thankful that {
: last the world is recognizing woman
endless worth. and is eagerly seekin
her Intelligent cooperation and hel
+ of which she is moro proficient tina
"a man."
Her Special Fitness.
Discussing woman's special fitnc.
and potency as teacher, Superinter
IS dent Fulton says:
Among the five hundred ways
h which Virginia Penny shows a woma
may make living there are none f,
= which she is by nature better suite
g than teaching, and this is especial
Is true with respect to primary educate
or chlid training. Her sunny dispos
ton, her Eentlcness of manner. H.
mildness Of voice. her kindly bearin
% her Keen insight, her deep sympathie
Sc ner srent love Of the beautifui ii
n true, and the good. her devotion
IN Justlce, her proneness to mercy II
Or patience and tact, her divine spirit
en atty and soulfulncss are most impo
e. tant clements In the accepted ftne
o.. tho teacher to deal with children
es lender and timid years. In all the
w particulars, she Is mans superior.
al By Divine Decree.
~ by divine decree she is brought In
- closer touch and more continuous co
nectlon with tho nature and charact
= OF chlld-life and naturally learns chr
n TO love and delight as we'll AZ TO /
ne struct and guide. She finds in
manifestations Of budding intellect a
a the curious revelations Of Il,
s. thoughts and first Impressions ma
he wonderful facts, which the wisdom
III schools and tho philosophy of m
Or learned In hooks do not know, VIII
nd man theories on eXternals. she lear
of the inner life OF tho child before d
stimulation has taught concealmcnt,
On llaplt mas destroyed originality. VIII
to man IS wandering amid abstraction
be she is most adroitly leading the soycl
81 parts Of tho child nature towards
e.