"COMMINGLING THE SEXES."

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 312, 31 October 1888, Page 6

"COMMINGLING THE SEXES."

Tin. ,>oung lolLs ab Ottawa Normal School have not done so well this year, which must be regretted by all ritjht-feeling persons ; but the authorities have found a reason for then f.uluie which is downright grievous to con Icm plate. For a long while the 'commingling of uhe sexes' there had been prohibited under the severest penalties. Scholastic youths were not allowed to recognise seho'astie maidens in the street, much less within the precincts. But the rebellious tendencies of the aye have been displaying thcm->el\es at Ottawa of late years, and the lirectois of the school observed with dismay that graceless students of the male sex, in growing number*, positively 'consorted' with frivolous students of the opposite pei suasion after houis. In a weak moment they relaxed the rule so far as to permit the young men to call on the ,>oung women, and even to 'keep their company 'at proper times. This happened last year, and no student earned the (Jovor-nor-Gcneral's medal. Charitable souls put it thu^, in the /jo^l hoc form, since typhoid was prevalent in the school ; but many declared it to be a case of proplvr hoc. These latter are quite convinced now, for typhoid has vanished, and again this year not a single one qualified. \\ orsc still, there were no honour students ab all. Members of the faculty havo decided to attribute this ' extraordinary result to the association of the sexes in the evenings, which, under circumstances more favourable to study, were devoted to the acquiiement of knowledge.' If the conclusion be exact, it is a sad evidence of human weakness.