The Education of American GirlsBrackett, Anna C. (Anna Callender)
General
The Education of American Girls
Brackett, Anna C. (Anna Callender)
Women -- Education -- United States
These statements give a glimpse of the work which came to the resident
physician in this houseful of young people, and also of some or the
obstacles that prevented the early establishment of a satisfactory
regimen. But progress was all the while making in the right direction,
though there were many failures and discouragements; and, best of all,
there was the same nucleus that President Raymond speaks of, viz., a
group of intelligent, conscientious students, who, once having learned
physiological truths, accepted them as guides in daily living; and from
this group emanated an influence that was felt, to a greater or less
degree, by even the youngest and most frivolous.
Gradually it became disgraceful to have hysterics, or to give other
marked evidence of a want of self-control: a good appetite that was
regularly appeased by plain, nutritious food came to be regarded, first,
as not unladylike; second, as quite proper; and last, as a desired
blessing: thin walking shoes, insufficient clothing, squeezed-up waists,
and the like, grew in disfavor till they were stamped "vulgar," and the
careful gymnastic drill, with its appropriate light, warm, loose dress,
taught to many their first lesson of physical freedom.
To Elizabeth M. Powell (now Mrs. Henry Bond, of Florence, Mass.), who
was the first Instructor in Physical Training after the gymnasium was
built, and who for five years pursued her admirable method with more and
more success, the college is greatly indebted for the thorough respect
which that department has always commanded, and for its harmonious
co-operation in the primary business of these students in science and
literature.
Just as the courses of study became more definite in aim and
requirement, as the work of each class was more clearly marked out and
adhered to, and as the intellectual life responded to the impulse of a
reasonable and steady demand, so was the physical life strengthened. By
the close of the third year we could not but be as much encouraged by
the advance of hygienic sentiment and practice among the students, as we
were by their commendable progress in liberal culture; and both seemed
to us largely and fairly attributable to the systematic methods which,
one by one, had been patiently wrought out from the original confusion,
and as patiently fitted into an efficient working-plan.
So far as I am able to judge, no one thing here has done more to
counteract the hereditary or acquired tendency of many young women, to
disorders peculiar to their age and sex than the opportunity for
pursuing, quietly and continuously, with a definite aim and certain
purpose, well-arranged courses of study.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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