Education of Southern Women [pp. 381-390]

EDUCATION OF SOUTHERN WOMEN.
and literary attainment which ought to characterize Southern
women.
We, as a nation, are now engaged in the attempt to-remove
fromnt our shoulders the "old man of the mountain," who so long
has oppressed us and paralyzed almost all our efforts. Under
this dead weight our commerce and manufactures long ago
sunk, and our educational system received a false and corrupting tendency. These evils were hard to bear, but were borne
until-the mask being thrown aside by the North-the intention to reduce us to a condition of vassalage and to deprive us of
all rights and privileges of citizens was announced. Our people
are now battling with the usurper and despot for the recovery
and maintenance of these rights, and whatever may be the
changing fortunes of the conflict, we all have an abiding confidence that we will finally be successful and take our place
among the nations of the earth. When this auspicious result
shall have been accomplished, it will be necessary to enter into
various reforms, by which every vestige of Yankeeism may be
purged away from our systems of commerce, manufactures,
politics and education. Though we are still in the din and dust
of the conflict, it is not too early to call attention to the reforms
needed, nor too early to begin those reforms. We propose,
first, to consider the vices and defects in our system of education, and especially in the'iducation of females; second, to
present the claim of woman for a loftier and more extended
culture; and, third, to suggest some plan by which concert and
harmony of action may be secured in our efforts at reform.
The great and prevailing vice in our system, both of male and
female education, has been and is now, to a great extent,
Yankeeism. This protean spirit, henceforth the epitome of all
that is mean, treacherous and contemptible-symbol of what
is false in religion-of what is tyrannical in governmentof what is low and disgusting in personal character, has obtained admittance into our schools, but, happily for us, never
full control. It is not a matter of wonder that Southern men
surrendered commerce and manufactures into the hands of the
\orth; for, as citizens, obedient to the laws of the Federal
Union, they were compelled to pay their money, in the shape of
bounties, to sustain Northern shipping, and of duties, to uphold
Northern manufacturers. But there was no law to bind us to
take Northiern teachers and their books. This yoke of bondage
was not imposed, but voluntarily assumed. Yet not altogether
voluntarily, for there was a public sentiment which, if not
universal, yet had sufficient power to drive away intelligent
Southern men from the profession of teaching, and thus necessitate the employment of Yankees. There has been a
disposition at the South to rank teaching among the menial
employments, and hence fit for Yankees only. Thus, from
these two causes, viz: a belief in Northern superiority on the
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