Captain Gildrock improved this opportunity to say something about the influence of female society, and especially of young ladies. If Beech Hill were not a school of mechanic arts, he should be in favor of having as many young ladies as young gentlemen on its roll of pupils. He was in favor of co-education, whereat Mr. Bentnick shook his head, and seemed to be uneasy in his seat, though Mr. Darlingby showed a disposition to clap his hands. The captain was an old-fashioned man, he said, but he hoped he had modern and progressive ideas. He was not in favor of "pretty girls." At this point about half a dozen of the students gave something like a suppressed groan. The principal paused, the dissentients wished they had said nothing; but he did not add a word. He seemed to feel that they had as much right to express themselves in this manner as to applaud, or express themselves in other ways. "I don't believe in pretty girls as such," he continued, "because they monopolize the sole attention of young men, to the exclusion of others even more worthy who are personally less attractive. But I hardly expect young gentlemen to adopt my views on this subject before they have lived to be as old as I am. When you have an opportunity, boys, bestow some attention upon the 'wallflowers.'" He had not intended to say so much on this part of the subject, and he resumed the general topic. Ladies should be treated with the utmost respect, whether attractive or not, and even if they did not conduct themselves like ladies. He did not prohibit the students from associating with the young ladies of Genverres and the neighboring towns, under proper circumstances, and thought female society was beneficial to them. But profound respect must be the basis of such relations. There should be nothing like undue familiarity with them, and a young lady, even if not more than fifteen, should not be addressed by her Christian name except by her relatives. It must always be "Miss Bristol," and not "Lily," or even "Miss Lily." "Not Miss Lily?" said a puzzled student. "That is a grade of familiarity between the surname and the given name, proper enough for persons who are intimate enough to use it, but not applicable in the present instance. Now, to return to the name of the schooner, from which the papers withdrew my attention. I am entirely willing that you should give her a name." After what the principal had said about pretty girls, most of the students concluded that any attempt to give the name of one of that sisterhood to the craft would be vetoed. They were not quite satisfied to have their wishes disregarded. His last words, however, gave them a little encouragement. The principal picked up the slips of paper and counted them, or a portion of them.