Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1907-01-18

conducted by Miss Margaret allOn
Do Women Teachers in the Hig
School have an effemipating effect o
the character of America an boyhOod?
And now if we are to listen to tn
teaching of the modern psychology o.
this question the following excerp
from recent address by DR. G. Star
ley Hall will be interesting to schoo
officials and patrons OF our public hig
schools
II There is a sex difference tha
ought not to he ignored.
Q. These sex differences manifes
themselves in such q way as often t.
be an element of discouragement t,
boys owing to quicker action of th,
girls in the studies that predominant
III the high school.
8. The greater number If girls anC
the greater number of women teachers
unite TO feminine the schools and Jc
emphasize and accentuate the features
most unfavorable to education of boys.
4. 1t is urged that girls can not be
held to the same standards of conduct,
regularity, severe moral accountable
ty and strenuous mental work that
boys need. In this connection the pri-
vileges of the sex interfere with the
diSainItno for This
argues not only for the separation of
the sexes but for male teachers for
boys.
s. In view of these facts and condi.
tions it is urged that the small mum Der
of male teachers now employed are
compromised in such way as to deny
their own pedagOgic conviction. This
results in a practical Termination of
the teachers as well as of the school.
g. It is worthy of note that there is
substantial agreement that for pupils
in the grades women make the best
teachers. 1t Is only when we reach
the high school which deals with the
pupils in the adolescent period that the
influence of women teach
ers is regarded as mistake.
Z. There is substantial agreement
also that the program of studies for
boys and girls should be different.
That is to say wise and we'll advised
elective system seems logical. 1t is
agreed that the same studies are not
good for all boys and by greater force
the argument is that in view of the
facts of sex differentiation what is not
good for all boys certainly can not be
good for all girls. Indeed the facts
here would seem to indicate that uni
formity of course is good for neither
sex and that we must come to the plan
of adaptation of the course to the stu
dent rather than the adaptation of the
student of The course.
S. Coming now to the more specific
problem of the comparative influences
Of men and women teachers upon stu
d ents, there seems to be substantial
agreement among the psychologists and
l take some statistics from Prof. Bell
of the University of Colorado as furn-
ishlng fair illustration of the argu
ment. Here one thousand people have
testified upon the influence of men and
women teachers. While women teach
ers predOmlnate, it is noteworthy that
81 pei cent. of the men and so per cent.
of the women testify in favor of the
men teachers as being most helpful.
The testimony goes to show that wO.
men were superior in encouraging the
gentler more passive virtues such as
personal kindness, refinement, purity,
beauty OF spirit, sweetness and the like,
while the men teachers are reported as
encouraging. vigor, courage, indepehd.
ence, self reliance. ability to do and to
lead, fearlessness and the more aggres.
sive qualities.
On the other hand, the boy needs the
AOoooh VI ououoilty, nhO dCIO 10 Wu0IO
the man is the best representative. Il
boy will often do thing for a woman
because he respects or loyes her. 1t is
largely personal matter. That boy
needs. however, to come squarely up
against his duty as matter of law
Boys deal with each other much after
this fashion. A genuine boy asks from
his fellow only what is fair. He re.
spects authority and law that has the
ring of fair play about it. Boys know
each other in this regard, and will fol-
low nan who knows boys.
The key to successful male teacher
lies in the fact that the boys recognize
the fact that he still knows boys and
can not be fooled. In way man
stands for this administration of law
while woman stands for the persua
sion Of love. This fundamental re
spect for law and for authority which
you will find in every genuine boy
needs the training of master hand if
We are to make good citizenship. We
touch here upon the elementary prob
lens of citizenship and of character.
! In this connection wish to Call at
, tentiOn to the fact that free choice un-
der such conditions makes the most
virile morality. AS a matter of fact
every man before me knows this prob
lem. Most Of us are men of honor, oi
Integrity, of personal purity, as mat
ter of personal choice. This is why
men when moral are strong in theil
morality. Education under the re-
lsponsiDllity of freedom in what pro
lduces genuine strength. The boy wh,
has conquered no temptations or VII,
Idoos M aviI. aimnlu hooo uco he In