The Duty of American Women to Their CountryBeecher, Catharine Esther
History
The Duty of American Women to Their Country
Beecher, Catharine Esther
Education; Education -- United States; Women teachers -- United States
Is it not better to save children from being poisoned, than to pay
physicians for trying to cure them after they are contaminated, and, in
many cases, beyond the reach of cure?
Is it not as important to send forth tracts to influence the people to
educate their children virtuously and religiously, as it is to send forth
tracts to convert and reform them after they have been trained up to vice
and irreligion?
Is it not as important to teach our two millions of destitute children
to read, as it is to send forth tracts, and Bibles, and colporteurs to a
population where three millions cannot read a line in Bible or tract?
Is it not as important to organize, in order to secure a good
common-school education to our millions who cannot read, as it is to
sustain and endow colleges for the few thousand youth who enjoy their
advantages, and who have such disproportionate treasures lavished on
their education?
If we neglect the democracy and provide only for the higher classes,
shall we not eat the fruit of our own way? The aristocracy of France took
all the wealth and power for selfish enjoyment, and when the democracy
came into power, how awfully did they revenge themselves! In this
country, are not the rich and influential acting on the same selfish
principle? “And _the people_ do perish for lack of knowledge!” Oh! the
horrors of that day when this neglected people shall visit their wrongs
on those, who now are selfishly withholding that light of knowledge which
is the only means of our peace and salvation!
In attempting to influence others to engage in this work, appeals can be
made to the generous and patriotic feelings of _the young_ with great
effect. Why cannot an enthusiasm be created for educating children
which shall equal that which has been created for preventing and curing
intemperance? Let the same amount of money be spent, and the same number
of good and influential men attempt to do it, and _it will be done_. Let
every woman, then, urge on this attempt.
If a woman can do nothing else for this cause, she can at least _pray_
for it; and it is rarely the case that any person offers sincere and
earnest prayer for any good object, without speedily finding something
_to do_ for that object.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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