The Employments of Women: A Cyclopædia of Woman's WorkPenny, Virginia
General
The Employments of Women: A Cyclopædia of Woman's Work
Penny, Virginia
Women -- Employment
sustained in a lively manner, cannot fail to interest children, and make
the school room for them a happy and longed-for place. Nature itself
points out the course to be pursued in the education of a child: first,
physical training; second, moral training; and third, mental training.
Mind and body are so closely united that an injury to one is resented by
the other. One is placed as a protector to the other, and will not
permit injury to its companion with impunity.
=34. Teachers of Languages.= A knowledge of Latin is desirable for
ladies that expect to devote much time to books. The study of it is fine
discipline for the mind. The German and French are studied by many
ladies: the French more for the purposes of light literature and
conversation; the German by those that wish to dive into metaphysics.
These languages are, both, useful to ladies engaged in stores: the
French mostly in New York city and in the South; the German more at the
North and West. In Italy, at different times from the fifteenth to the
nineteenth century, learned women occupied chairs in the universities,
as professors of music, drawing, philosophy, mathematics, and the
languages, both ancient and modern. The author of "Women and Work" says:
"Women should teach languages and oratory. Aspasia taught rhetoric to
Socrates. The voice of woman is more penetrating, distinct, delicate,
and correct in delivering sounds than that of man, fitting her to teach
both languages and oratory better." The prices paid for private
instruction in the languages are higher than when received in a class,
and run from 25 cents an hour to $1. A language is best taught by a
native of the country in which said language is spoken.
=35. Teachers of Music.= Vocal music is taught in most of our schools,
and is required to be taught in the public schools of Germany and
Prussia. In Germany, instrumental music is also taught free of charge.
It is not uncommon to see a German mechanic performing on the piano.
Instrumental music is probably the most expensive accomplishment
attending the education of a young lady. Music is more generally
cultivated in the United States than any other accomplishment. It is
better appreciated by the mass, and, consequently, becomes more
ingrafted in the national element. In a few years our musicians will
probably equal the most celebrated of Europe. A skilful musician need
never suffer in America. If competent to give instruction in music,
there will be opportunities to do so in our cities. Most seminaries
require one teacher of music, and often two or more.
=36. Teachers of Navigation.= "One of the best and most popular teachers
of navigation and nautical mathematics and astronomy in England is a
lady, Mrs. Janet Taylor. Her classes are celebrated, and numerously
attended by men who have been at sea as well as by youths preparing for
the merchant service." Not long since, she received a gold medal and a
premium of £50 annually from the British Government.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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