Part 21 (2/2)

Another cause of her better health is the great physical care taken at the critical periods of the h, as I have previously said, she continues her studies during these days, if without suffering; I must add, that on the other hand she abstains fro-lessons, protects herself ainst cold and wet, sleeps perhaps a little longer in thea walk, lies down for an hour through the day A party or ball at such a time would be looked upon by the reat impropriety The care of her health is at all times, of importance to German women I have, for instance, very rarely seen them walk in bitter-cold winter weather in a so-called cloak, which left the abdoirl's being better able to ith i the years of develope of fourteen, may be found in the siht up while still in early childhood A Gerht years with flounces and sashes half as heavy as herself, and then show her off in a parlor full of ad friends; nor send her to a children's ball, where, with a young prodigy of the other sex, she i the wilful darling into obedience by the proardful of future dyspepsia, she brings her to reason by reeable expedients The child is encouraged to play with her dolls, and to find pleasure in flowers and child-like arows up with sih a little aard and shy

And, on the other hand, the mother herself finds her chief pleasure at hoht of the week, but keeps coreat deal of exercise in the open air, and thus re and healthy after her nursery is well filled

Now I do not say that the German education coht, with profit, go more deeply into the wonderful mysteries of science, just as her American sister is supposed to do; counterbalance her somewhat too poetical tendencies by the severer pursuit of ht in the beauties of Latin and Greek authors, if such should be her sincere desire Nor can I see any objection to the pursuit of her intellectual studies, by the fehose enthusiasifts fit them for it

All this the German woman will safely accomplish, if she retains the simplicity of herthe years of early youth, the while not forgetting to preserve the priceless gift of health

That this desirable consummation will be better and more safely reached by an adequate separate education, which can take into account woanization when necessary, rather than by co-education, no one, I think, can predict Thus far, the idea of co-education has not penetrated the German brain, and the Gerht, decided coes in education now progressing in this country, and still in the future for Germany, will yield valuable fruit, and conduce to better the condition of women, it seems to me, experiment rather than theory, must show

I am with sincere respect, yours truly,

MRS OGDEN N ROOD

341 East 15th Street, N Y

sex IN EDUCATION

There has recently appeared a collection of essays on the subject of girls' education, which, for the reason that it has excited so much attention, cannot here be passed by without special notice It is seldom that any book arouses so much criticism, and, withal, so much earnest opposition as this has provoked, and seldoenerously open their columns to discussions so extended on the merits and deh repute in the city of Boston, Dr E H Clarke With regard to the criticiseneral observation enerally bestowed than in those cases where a woh there are very e nu written by a enerally unite in disagreeing with its pres, they are unable to accept its conclusions, the prenant protests, are not solely from teachers, but also froht, and the most candid and dispassionate one of all, from a woman in no wise connected with schools, either public or private

But even supposing that they were all from teachers, does that fact, except under a very narro of human nature, render them any the less valuable? Does one profession blind the eyes more than the other?

Even in the narrowest view possible to the teacher, is it not for her interest that her pupils should be healthy? How can or? If it be objected here that some teachers are interested only in present results, unmindful of future consequences, I enter a counter statement that the saument which would compare the poorest teachers with the best physicians

The profession of teaching is not thus narrow in its views; is not so led by present and telitter and show in the few years of school life; they do not aim at showy displays at the risk of permanent injury They work not for to-day, but for all ti the developthening grasp of thought, and the growth of character Are they any less desirous than the physician that the delicate instrument which puts the soul in communication with the external world, and by means of which it must be developed, be in perfect tune? Do they desire any less earnestly than he, that they irl-life of Aracious womanhood, fully able to bear any strain which active lifeto become in due time true wives and real mothers? Is the future of A profession than to theand human life than the success of their theories?”

Are not the teachers seeking truth as well as the physicians? Are not they, to use the simile of one able critic, also attentive at their watch-towers of science and experience? A wo for e nuirls; who has been intimately acquainted with their habits and their health; has held their confidence, and has watched the called on for directa fund of practical knowledge on the subject which is available to no h he be physician It ell to be just Let the teachers have credit at least for intelligence and honesty as well as the physicians

Does any one assert that Dr Clarke does not blame the teachers? We answer, as we shall show more fully in another place, that any reflection on what is known in technical language as the school ”system”

of any country, is a reflection on the teachers of those schools If any one doubts the power of the teachers as a body to ements and details of the schools, the school records of more than one city will furnish him with cases where the teachers have forced upon the coed necessary, text-books of which they approved, and their candidates for vacant places, till their power and influence will appear no longer doubtful

The book does not ostensibly on its title-page claim to be a work on co-education, but none the less is that the subject considered from first to last In the preface, the author rey for plainness of speech: ”The nature of the subject which the Essay discusses, the generaland weak points of the wonorance displayed by many, of what the co-education of the sexes really e or euphemism of expression should be employed in the discussion” The italics are ours, but the words are Dr Clarke's; and unmistakably show that the main drift of the book is to stem and if possible to turn the tide of popular conviction which is opening our colleges, new and old, to students, without regard to sex[54]

Again, the volume is divided into five parts, as follows, to quote the table of contents:

I Introductory

II Chiefly Physiological