NOTES FOR WOMEN.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLVI, Issue 10, 8 March 1911, Page 62

NOTES FOR WOMEN.

Boy* and Girl*. A discussion on the “Dangers of Coeducation” took place at a meeting of the Private Schools’ Association, when theories, many and various, for and against educating boys and girls together were exploited. One speaker thinks that there is great danger to be apprehended from the education together of boys and girls from twelve years of age upwards. The sexes are at bottom antagonistic, and the best means of preserving the race is to encourage this. The attempt to make women masculine will, he thinks, jeopardise the future of our race. Another speaker took .an opposite view, and is of the opinion that coeducation, while unsuitable for the boarding system, could be recommended under the day and college system. It certainly civilises boys, he declares, to a large extent, to have girls amongst them, and makes them less gauche and less sentimental and silly in the presence of the other sex. A lady then spoke defending co-edu-cation, saying that it takes a lot of nonsense out of girls’ Heads. In replying to ail the speeches, the opener of the discussion concluded by opining positively that the sexes are bound to deteriorate by familiarity in the early stages of life. The result of the debate was not announced, unfortunately. It is a subject of no little interest to New Zealanders, in whose country the experiment of coeducation is, of course, not in any way new. The “ Red R.ibbon ”• for a Woman. Madame Pauline Kergomard has just been awarded the cross of the Legion of Honour, being the second woman to receive this distinction. Mme. Fustado Heine, the great philanthropist wqs the first woman so honoured. Aladame Kergomard has been fifty years “in harness”: she has written a good deal on the education of women, and was appointed as long ago as 1879 to the post of General Inspector of Maternal Schools in France. Au. Unusual Tomb. An extraordinary state of things in connection with Christian Science, and the late Mrs. Eddy, the high priestess of the cult, is reported from Boston. My readers may remember that’ in r< porting Mrs. Eddy’s death, 1 stated that a certain Mrs. Augusta Stetson was prepared to step into the deceased lady’s shoes. It now appears that Mrs. Stetson, who boast* a large number of followers, has intimated in various public statements that she is convinced that Mrs. Eddy will very shortly reveal herself in the flesh to her.

In consequence of these statements a guard of four men is maintained ah the tomb of Mrs. Eddy. ■ Electric lighta have been installed in the tomb, together with two large electric heaters. The men take turns sleeping and watching, and in going to their meals. They have plenty of reading matter, and take their exercise walking about the snow-clad winding paths of the beautiful cemetery. As at present arranged, with the single exception of providing food, the tomb has all the comforts of a home. Holland’s Hope. Interesting ceremonial celebrated at Capetown the second birthday of the little Princess Juliana of the Netherlands, the Hollanders there planting orange pips and taking the young plants to the Muncipal Gardens, where they were planted in the presence of the Dutch Consul-General and his wife, the officers and men of the Dutch warship, De Zeven Provinzien, which is now off Capetown, and a representative gathering of Hollander and Afrikander citizens. The Consul-General, says “Reuter,” in welcoming the Dutch officers and men, said that the life of the orange tree was full of meaning and symbolism for Hollanders and Dutch-speaking Afrikanders. He mentioned, also, that the Mayor had kindly given for the planting of the little trees the very spot on which the old Dutch East India Company had established an experimental garden Honorary Degrees of M.A. for distinguished educational work were conferred by Manchester University this week on Miss Margaret Ashton, who was the first woman 'to *be elected to the Manchester City Council; and on Miss Lydia Manley, Principal of Stockwell Training College,’ London. Women as Talkers. “It is women who are the best conversationalists, as they are the best let-ter-writers, and when men have been great ‘eauseurs’" it has chiefly been owing to the inspiration of some refined and talented hostess,whose salon they adorned., For men together discuss and argue; they do not '. converse.”—The “Daily Mail.” J Woman Doctor Dead. The death has taken place of Miss Harriett Amelia Rachael Apps, at Nablus, Palestine, where she was medical officer to the Church Missionary Society’s Hospital. Miss Apps was only 30 years of age, and after studying at the London (Royal I'ree Hospital) School of Medicine for Women she obtained the degree of Bachelor of Medicine and of Surgery at the University of Durham in 1909.

Young at 83. A great surprise greeted the members of the Atherstone Hunt yesterday. Although she is eighty-three yea *s of age, the Hon. Mrs. ColyiHe, of Tailing ton Hall, Derbyshire, followed hounds on her favourite mare, which stands sixteen hands, and her seat was as firm, and she rode as straight as a girl of 18, declaring at the end of the run that she had enjoyed the day’s sport immensely. Mrs. Colville is the mother of MajorGeneral Sir H. Colville, who commanded a division during part of the Boer war. Mme. Curie. In connection with Mme. Curie’s candidature for election to. the French Academy of Sciences a petition referring to the eligibility of women to the Five Academies is to be presented shortly at a meeting of the Institute of France, which comprises those five bodies. By a large ma jority, the Academy has lately decided an important point, viz., that “each section of the institute, being completely. • independent of the others as regards elections, such questions concern each academy respectively,” so that, if Mme. Curie were elected to the Academy, no precedent would be constituted with regard to the other Academies, in particular the Academie Francaise. Now, it remains to be seen whether this great honour will be, at last, allowed a woman. Assuredly no greater woman scientist than the distinguished Madame Curie is likely to be found.