THE Evening Star. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1869.

Evening Star, Volume VII, Issue 2021, 27 October 1869, Page 2

THE Evening Star. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1869.

Intimately bearing upon the subject to which we referred yesterday—the education of girls—is an article in the ■Contemporary Review for March, written by Miss Becker. The name at once suggests the idea of an enthusiast, for everyone knows that Miss Becker is an ardent assertor of “ women’s rights.” According to the usual fashion of dealing with enthusiasts by sober, hard-thinking, matter-of-fact men, the name of the lady would bel sufficient condemnation of her theories. This is hardly fair. Enthu-

siasm may lead to extravagance, but it may be, and generally is, based upon some solid ground. The superstructure may be gorgeous, flimsy, and unsubstantial, while the base remains solid and firm. That which is needed, therefore, is ability to separate the fictitious from the real, the gold from the dross. Leaving out of the question altogether the lady’s labored effort to prove that women have mental capabilities equal with men for attaining a knowledge of science as altogether unnecessary, because indisputable, we may fairly ask with her, why the intellectual advantages conferred upon men by the study of it should not be equally enjoyed by women 1 It is not often that opportunity is afforded of obtaining evidence respecting the general yearning there is on the part of women for higher culture than has hitherto been accorded them, and of the disadvantages under which the present system of limited education places them. When that evidence comes, therefore, from Miss Becker or Miss Mautineau, or from other equally intelligent sources, it is light thrown upon a subject on which few women like to speak. There is amongst us an almost unconscious acceptance of the Eastern idea that grace and social accomplishments are the chief charms that should be cultivated in girls. Fully valuing the refinement of manners implied in this idea, the realisation of it would not be impeded but advanced by higher intellectual culture. Miss Becker coinplains that almost all educational institutions provide for the education of men, and neglect the mental training of women, while “ most of the induce- “ ments for pursuing scientific studies “ are common to men and women.” She adds, “ But there are some con- “ siderations which render such pur- “ suits of greater value to women than “ men. Prevalent opinions and cus- “ toms impose on women so much more “ monotonous and colorless lives, and “ deprive them of so much of the natural “ and healthy • excitement enjoyed by “ the other sex in its freer intercourse “ with the work), that the necessity for “ some pursuit which shall afford scope “ for the activity of their minds, is “ even more pressing in their case than “ in that of men. In default of mental “ food and exercise, the minds of wo- “ men get starved out. Numbers end “ by falling a prey to morbid religious “ excitement; while others, after vain “ struggles against their destiny, sink “ at last into a weary kind of resigned “ apathy, and men say they are con- “ tent.” No doubt this picture is colored by sombre tints, supplied by the imagination of the writer, and must not be accepted as altogether a faithful representation of woman’s relative position. The every-day duties of life, where families have to be cared for and looked after, deprive it of that sad monotony here described. Yet there is much truth in it, and still more in the assertion that “ women, “ who have never had the oppor- “ tunity of finding out by experience “ the value of attending ‘ systematic “ study,’ do not always appreciate the “ magnitude of the loss they endure.” In order to prove that when these advantages are offered they were freely accepted and used, she furnishes a report of the proceedings of the “ Royal College of Science “ for Ireland." The report contains a short account of the rise of the Institution—“ Shortly after the Great Ex- “ hibition of 1851, a museum was “ established in Dublin by the Depart- “ ment of Science and Art, and called “ the ‘ Irish Industrial Museum,’ Sir “ Robert Kane, President of Queen’s “ College, Cork, was appointed direc- “ tor. In 1854 a staff of professors “ was added from among the most dis- “ tinguished professors of the Univer- “ sity of Dublin, of the Royal College “ of Surgeons, and members of the “ Royal Society and of the Royal Irish “ Academy, who gave courses of lec- “ turns on the following subjects : “ geology, botany, zoology, physical “ science, and theoretical chemistry. “ These lectures were partly free, the “ last twenty or thirty requiring the “ small fee of 3s. 6d. They were “ attended by large numbers of men “ and women of different classes of “ society.” In 1855-6 examinations in each course were instituted, and prizes in money or books were given. The list of prize winners contains the names of a vci'v large proportion of women. The system has been continued to this day, and with increasing results in their favor. Perhaps some who read this article may acknowledge the general truths it contains, but may ask where Dunedin is to obtain the advantages of such an Institute. It may fairly be conceded that at Home there were advantages of means enjoyed only in degree in the Colonies, hut Dunedip has its Institute, its Museum, and men equal to the task of directing students in different branches of science. And there are not wanting instances of what may be done even under very great disadvantages. Within the last throe mouths two -concerts were given by the

Dunedin Private Musical Society, which may be fairly said to have attained a respectable position in the. musical world, almost independently of professional help, and which will gather strength,. and attain a much higher standing if .nothing occurs to disturb its harmonious working. If the perfection of Horne Institutions cannot be attained, that is no reason why it should not be aimed at. A country ot twenty years old cannot be expected to gather together the materials of one that has a history of sixteen hundred year’s. Our advocacy of adopting means for a high class education of women is not without reference to the future for men. The shrewdness of the ancient Greeks led them to adopt means to an end, with success. Among the Spartans, bodily strength and activity, endurance of fatigue and contempt of pain, wore amongst their chief objects ot education. They succeeded in rendering them general by training their girls and women in athletic games and teaching them equal enjoyment in them with men. Spartan mothers being themselves trained commenced the necessary discipline with their sons when infants, and Spartan bravery in all languages is a superlative. Our aim is different. The giant in intellect and ethics may be raised and nurtured by the same adaptation of means to an end. There is therefore short-sighted folly in <• teaching all the men, and leaving “ all the women out in the cold.”