FEMALE EDUCATION.

Otago Witness, Volume 25, Issue 1004, 25 February 1871, Page 16

FEMALE EDUCATION.

TO THE EDITOR.

Sir— Now that our ♦•High School for Girls " has been io successfully opened, it may not be out of place to call publio attention to the great necessity that exists for cultivating a branoh of female education in many respaots far more important to oar girls than drilling them for hours daily in French, German. &0., &o.

I believe that the terrible mortality in in> fancy is produced by removable causes, and by tike ignorance of the laws of health prevailing among those who have almost the absolute control over every human being during the first few years of his life.

There are few persons who do not allow — when the subjeot is brought before them— that every woman ought to possess a general acquaintance with the aature and functions of the infant constitution, and the conditions required for their healthy performance, yet it is not taught in our High School for Girls. It may be true that all are not destined to beoome mothers, bat there are few who would not find such knowledge useful, if not necessary, during some part of their life; a&d yet the intelligent discharge of the duties which constitute the chief of woman* sooial position forms at present no part of her education. It is useless to say that medical aid will correct this ignorance in mothers and nurses ; it is not appealed to till the mischief is dome, and how is it to be corrected when the intelligence to carry out the doctor's instructions is absolutely want' ing? There is not a conscientious doctor in Dunedin who cannot oonfirm this statement, and who has not deplored the loss of the help he has sought in vain from those on whom the chief responsibility rests. These can alone be for ever on the watch ; and yet, if unable to perceive that the orders given to-day are not to be acted upon to-morrow, without regard to what has happened in the interval, the evil which must follow is apparent to aIL We would strongly urge this matter on the attention of the Ladies' Committee, connected with our High School for girls. Why should not our schoolmistresses and pupil teachers obtain instruction in all subjects relating to the laws of life ? Why should not classes be formed for governesses and other ladies, where Bpeoial attention will be given to the proper management of infanta and ohildrea ?

It has been calculated that there are not lass than 100,000 deaths from preventive causes in Great Britain every year, and for every such death probably at least four oases of serious illness ; so that the amount of human suffering and misery whioh theie figures represent are more than can be conceived. Lord Shaf tesbary, taking the hint from Dr. Chalmers, says : — "The diffusion of good sanitary knowledge I consider as auxiliary to the extension of the Gospel itself j for I am convinced there would be no surer way of reaching the hearts of the people than by conveying to their homes, along with the lessons of Christianity, the teaching whioh would promote their physical comfort, health, and decency, and aU the temporal blessings of civilisation."

We do earnestly trust, therefore, that the ladies of the Committee will insist that requisite arrangemonts be made without delay for auoh special training, and that then* help will not ba sought in vain in a matter of such importance to the community at large. Of one thing we are perfeotly satisfied — that on this subjeot, the resources of our educational exchequer could not be more legitimately or wisely lavished. Let our authorities go forward with their schemes for draining and oleanaing the city ; but let our women be ready for their share in the work, and effeot those much needed ohanges in infant management ; let them teaoh and apply the laws of health in their own province, remembering that all endowments for sooial good, whatever be their speoial purpose or denomination — educational, sanitary, charitable, or penal— will prosper and fulfil their objects in so far as we carry out the principle of combining in due proportion the masculine and feminine element, and will fail, or beoome perverted into some form of evil, in' so far as we neglect or ignore it. — 1 am, &o,

Robert Sorimgeour.

The German generals kaow now the range of the guns on every fort before Paris, and they confess that the ordnance is not to be despised. Some of the guns in position on the forts have an unexpectedly long range. They carry not only to.tbo cmtjp<?»t», but to the wwryw,