226 POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



they were equals. Lucretia Mott, Susan Anthony, Abby Kelley, 

 and a great body of the women who adopted the resolution that 

 set forth the uselessness of educating woman until she could vote, 

 and who clamored for her entrance to men's institutions, were all 

 of this sect that has kept its women generally far behind in the 

 acquisition of knowledge. 



In 1845 Mrs. Willard was invited to address the Teachers' Con- 

 vention that met in Syracuse. She prepared a paper in which 

 she set forth the idea that "women, now sufficiently educated, 

 should be employed and furnished by the men as committees, 

 charged with the minute cares and supervision of the public 

 schools," but declined the honor tendered her of delivering it in 

 person. Sixty gentlemen from the convention visited her at the 

 hotel, and at their earnest request she read the essay, which met 

 with their emphatic approval of the plan she proposed. The em- 

 ployment of women in the common schools and the system of 

 normal schools were projected by her. 



A teachers' convention was held in Rochester in 1852. Miss 

 Anthony, though a teacher, was not in attendance upon it, but 

 she records that she went in and listened for a few hours to a dis- 

 cussion of the causes that led to their profession being held in 

 less esteem than those of the doctor, lawyer, and minister. In 

 her judgment the kernel of the matter was not alluded to, so she 

 arose and said, "Mr. President." She writes that "at length 

 President Davies stepped to the front and said in a tremulous, 

 mocking tone, "What will the lady have?" "I wish, sir," she 

 said, " to speak to the question." " What is the pleasure of the 

 convention ? " asked Mr. Davies. A gentleman moved that she 

 be heard; another seconded the motion; whereupon, she says, 

 " a discussion, pro and con, followed, lasting full half an hour, 

 when a vote was taken of the men only, and permission was 

 granted by a small majority." She adds that it was lucky for her 

 that the thousand women crowding that hall could not vote on the 

 question, for they would have given a solid " No." The president 

 then announced, " The lady can speak." " It seems to me, gentle- 

 men," said she, " that none of you quite comprehend the cause of 

 the disrespect of which you complain. Do you not see that, so 

 long as society says a woman is incompetent to be a lawyer, min- 

 ister, or doctor, but has ample ability to be a teacher, every man 

 of you who chooses this profession tacitly acknowledges that he 

 has no more brains than a woman ? Would you exalt your pro- 

 fession, exalt those who labor with you. Would you make it more 

 lucrative, increase the salaries of the women engaged in the 

 noble work of educating our future Presidents, Senators, and 

 Congressmen." 



Several thoughts arise in regard to this scene, which was so 



