WOMAN SUFFRAGE AND EDUCATION. 225 



been wholly uninstructed in even elegant learning is evidenced 

 by the share she took in literature and in the discussion of reli- 

 gious and public matters, and in such personal records as that 

 of Elder Faunce, who eulogized Alice Southworth Bradford for 

 "her exertions in promoting the literary improvement and the 

 deportment of the rising generation." Dame schools were early 

 established for girls, and here were often found the sons of the 

 farmer and the mechanic. These were established in Massachu- 

 setts in 1635. Late in 1700 girls were admitted through the sum- 

 mer to " Latin schools " where boys were taught in winter, and in 

 1789 women began to be associated with men as teachers. In 1771 

 Connecticut founded a system of free schools in which boys and 

 girls were taught. In 1794 the Moravians founded a school for 

 girls at Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Here were educated the sisters 

 of Peter Cooper, the mother of President Arthur, and many 

 women who became exponents of culture. 



New England began before this to have fine private schools 

 for girls, but no great step was taken until Miss Hart (afterward 

 Mrs. Willard) had become so successful with her academy teach- 

 ing in her native town of Berlin, Connecticut, and in Hartford, 

 that three States simultaneously invited her to establish schools 

 within their borders. She went to Massachusetts, but afterward, 

 at the solicitation of Governor Clinton, of New York, she removed 

 her school to Troy in 1821. It was a new departure, and there 

 was ignorant prejudice to overcome. Governor Clinton, in an 

 appeal to the Legislature for aid, said, " I trust you will not be 

 deterred by commonplace ridicule from extending your munifi- 

 cence to this meritorious institution." They were not deterred. 

 An act was passed for the incorporation of the proposed institute, 

 and another which gave to female academies a share of the literary 

 fund. The citizens of Troy contributed liberally, and the success 

 of an effort for woman's high education was assured. 



As early as 1G97 the Penn Charter School was founded, and it 

 has lived until to-day. Provision was made " at the cost of the 

 people called Quakers " for " all children and servants, male and 

 female, the rich to be instructed at reasonable rates, the poor to 

 be maintained and schooled for nothing." They also provided 

 for "instruction for both sexes in reading, writing, work, lan- 

 guages, arts, and sciences." The boys and girls have been taught 

 separately, the girls' school being much behind the boys, neither 

 Latin nor other ancient language forining a part of their curric- 

 ulum. Friends are just beginning to discuss giving higher edu- 

 cation to girls. This is a fact especially significant in our discus- 

 sion, because it has always been claimed that the Quaker doctrine 

 that "souls have no sex" led them to place woman on an "equal- 

 ity " with man before other sects had thought of allowing that 



VOL. LI. IT 



