Part 22 (1/2)

III Chiefly Clinical

IV Co-Education

V The European Way

Part I asserts that there is a difference betweenthe proper care of her body; de, however, on page 24, to call attention to co-education as a great and threatening danger

Part II is, as it clai new to the student

Part III contains an account of seven exceptional cases of diseased action which have come under the writer's observation; a few more from another physician, and ends with this sentence:

”The preceding physiological and pathological data naturally _open the way to a consideration of the co-education of the sexes_” The italics, as before, are ours

Part IV considers the subject of co-education, already prejudged

Part V is merely of the nature of an appendix, which attempts to show that in Europe the whole matter of woman's health is carefully watched

If the one object of the Essays is not to stay the spread of co-education, we confess ourselves unable to discover what it is In this effort lies its only possible unity, its _pri to end

The argument reduced, may be fairly stated thus: Boys are capable of sustained and regular work; girls are not so capable--therefore they cannot be educated together (provided the standard is kept up to the standard best for boys) without injuring the girls

Adrant that our boys and girls are to have separate institutions of learning Every one sees, at one moment's reflection, that it would be impracticable to take any account of the occasional necessary absences froeraular work, and each individual, must take her own time for absence, and o on during her absence, as best sheout Dr Clarke's arguical conclusion, we abolish class recitations entirely, and supply each girl pupil with her own particular governess, who can acco capacities of her pupil and herself I repeat, that this is the only logical result possible, if we accept Dr Clarke's premises and conclusions We shall find in France a country where the girls have always been educated in this way, or in convent schools But shall we find in France a country where the proportion of births to the nureater than in our own? And shall we find in France a country where the general type of the race is degenerating or i? It will be replied that other causes are at work to produce the result in France The staterounds for asserting justly for Ae extent the present systeirls is the cause of their pallor and weakness,” or that ”woh not the sole explanation and cause of her le cause_, adds to their nuain ours)

We return to our stateoverness systeical outcome of the book in question But this, A evident that in any school the regular work h two or three be absent, what difference it would make in the practical result, whether the sixty or seventy present were all girls, or but half of the that the President of a university were told, on the entrance of a student, that he would probably be absent twenty or thirty days during the entire scholastic year, and he were asked whether it would be possible for the youth to perform satisfactorily the work of his class under those conditions, does any one doubt what his ansould be? So far on the practical side of the question

But when it is asserted that co-education is fatal to the health of our women, more is implied than appears on the surface; for, in reality, co-education and higher education for women are alates of all the high schools and colleges open alike to both sexes, were closed to the girls, where, except at one honored institution, could they turn to obtain a really thorough and all-sided education--such an education as a young man would be satisfied with? And ill assert that even Vassar College is to be, for a moment, compared to Harvard and Yale in respect to its facilities for acquiring a rounded education? One may strike at co-education, and, at the sahest development of which she is capable--that he is only desirous of securing to her ”a fair chance;” and yet he cannot deny that he deprives her of all chance, if his effort against co-education should succeed

As has been said, all criticisms on schools and school systems are criticisms on the teachers, for it is they who constitute and deter recitations, it is because the teachers of the school desire it; but in a soe daily observation and intirades, and in different sections of the Union,[55] I have yet to see any high or norra recitation In the lower grades they stand or sit, as the teacher requires I should say that in a , but, at the sarades the recitations areten or fifteen rades the pupil is almost universally expected to rise to answer his question, and sit as soon as it is answered Leaving out the point of forhtly treated in its far results on character--it is assuical point of view, that the e of position is better for bodies not yetposture

I would not for onethat much unreasonable work is not demanded of the pupils in the public schools of the country, or as defending the often excessive and unseasonable work

I ainst the custom of public exhibitions, and the unnatural excitement which is oftentiht-machine of the child and youth into abnormal activity But these evils are not inseparable fro exclusively to theirls, directed by woed to answer in writing in ninety minutes, twenty difficult questions, as an exa allowed only one copy of questions between the dependent upon their success Two or three of these exaiven in one session of five hours But if the girls go home from that school-work every day with cold hands and feet, and a headache that keeps them on the sofa all the afternoon, it is not because they are doing regular work, nor are schools or systeeneral to blame; the only persons to blame are the individual teachers who plan and carry out the barbarous and savage torture, and the parents, who take so little notice of what is going on, that they peritimate brain-work, but the nervous excitement, that breaks and kills It is not work but worry that tires

However, any words which lead to earnest discussion on the educational question are welcomed by all true educators, for Truth, which is the end and aim of their search, will never suffer in the conflict

But, were the ”old ti the statement that they were, we are always apt to be ht The first is, that we draw our information and statistics now froood old ti to crie The railroad, the stea-press--effects and causes of advancing civilization--have practically enlarged our mental horizon, and death, disease, and crie proportions

And yet, if it be true that aeneration born and reared on this side the Atlantic, it was common for the men to have often, two, three, and four wives, it see the women were not inactive even then

The second consideration referred to is this: As medical instruments multiply, diseases appear to multiply in exact proportion With the advent of the ophthalmoscope, for instance, how innumerable and complicated appear the diseases of the eye Are we justified in concluding, then, that in the ”good old tirandmothers--that idyllic time omen must have been at least free fro the hopes of the race--that matic eyes were not in existence? Such a conclusion would be manifestly unfair It seems impossible, in this view, to make any fair comparison of the health of women in the present, and in the past; that is, any comparison which will be sufficiently accurate for scientific purposes

It were better, if we must have an idyllic realm somewhere, to posit it rather in the future than in the past, and to ith all the light we are able to secure towards its attainards education: we may state, first, and I think without fear of contradiction, that there is tooAate all the habits of those women, and if we come to the conclusion that co-education or that over-study in aive it up We shall then seek and find soirls an opportunity for the full develop, however, to add 'brain' to Dr Clarke's list of ”muscle, ovary, stomach, and nerve”[56]

Secondly, we eneral statement that co-education is not desirable--is objectionable--that it ularly every day; and conclude that regular study is the chief cause of sickness a them

And yet God is his own interpreter, and he will make it plain at last, so that the ler in his workanis her at the sath We have too iven to us is in such niggardly measure for our needs; that, in order to carry out perfectly the work of the organs ular action of the brain must be suspended Not so He who fits the shoulder to the burden; who, in planning the coreatly increased size and strength whenever they should be needed, but even took thought also to provide for the return of the blood through capillary and vein froeon's knife, is not so forgetful of ends and anisth in exact proportion to the extra effort has been provided,