The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-08-24

literary question, and then had these
carefully typewriter to prevent dis
covery of the girls ages from their
handwriting. This done, the papers
were submitted by one college professor
to another, with the request that he
state how he would grade them as the
product of junior college students In
few days came back most laudatorv
letter, congratulating the teacher that
ne had college pupils who could do work
OF such high standard. Yet there was
not paper in the batch written by q
girl of more than fifteen!
A Cause for Pride.
10 dismiss this phase of the subject
with single opinion, we are convinced
that the standard of genuine scholar
ship. IN the girls schools Of Virginia is
sincere source Of qualification to
every friend of education. No man
need send his daughter to any one of
the girls schools listed in this section
OF The Ilmes-Dispatch and have the
sllghtest doubt that she will properly
be trained.
Some New Movements.
While maintaining the best tradi-
lions Of culture, and while steadily
advancing their standards of scholar.
ship, our girls preparatory schools are
advancing in. other directions. and are
FULLY IL sympathy with those recent
movements which promise lasting good
IN the education Of girls.
Above all else, they are DEMANDING
QOO0 ~f 1,
and are giving the girls the means If
developing their bodies with tbeir
MINDS. And here there has certainly
been room for Improvement. Twenty
years ago one had but to mention a
stfange woman as educated to have
the picture plain before ones auditors
"a thin, hollow-c hested, young crea-
lure, anaemic and stoop- shouldered.
with nervous affection and glasses
we rather encouraged that type of
intellectual idiot, and when we saw a
red-blooded, healthy girl, we instinc-
lively took it for granted that she was
not educated. Thank Heaven, we are
acquiring more sense! We know now
that we are doing girl the greatest
possible injustice when we bid her
improve her mind at the sacrifice of
her health. We are coming to see that
II the best mental work is to be done.
1t can only be possible where the body
is in healthful vigor. Our schools are
seeing this as well, and they are provid-
ing every facility for developing the
bodies of their pupils The girls have
their gymnasia, their basketball teams,
their tennis courts, and they are.
girl for girl, far healthier than thew
were a generation ago. Indeed, many
an educator of experience will express
the conviction that the improvement in
the mental work done by girls in recent
years is due to the physical exercise
they take.
Questions of the Day.
In the same way, there has been an
advance in the emphasis laid upon cues
tons OF the day in our schools for girls.
A few years ago our history teachers
seemed to think that their duty was
done when they had taught the girls
how the Roman empire fell and had
made them memorize the line of Eng
lish Kings. To-day our schools for
girls are aroused to the fact that no
girl can be classed as cultured or
educated who cannot intelligently
discuss in general conversation
current topics of general interest.
Consequently our girls are being taught
the wonderful revolution which is
shaking England to the foundation,
the development of the new public
conscience in American public life, the
growth of socialism and the upheaval
in the Far East. Let it be to the lasting
credit of our teachers that practically
all of them explain to the girls the
significance of these remarkable poll