(TO THE EDITOR OF TUE "SFECTATOR."1
"A School-Board Mistress" is right in believing that women when in power "over their less elevated sisters" generally assume a "persistent, interfering, and overbearing manner," and also fail in "clearness, generosity, and impartiality," she is doubtless more than justified in objecting to female Inspectors. But her reasons, if borne out by facts, would certainly tell even more conclusively against women being employed as teachers. As regards a woman's nature being too much turned on details, it is perhaps difficult to imagine any work more requiring patient detail than individual examination. Nor can nursery language be wholly inappropriate to children the large majority of whom are under ten years of age ; while it is to be regretted that a Mistress of some years' experience should have met with Inspectors who "sometimes do not address the little ones at all." As regards domestic economy, it is undeniable that most men are excellent judges of practical cookery. But amongst a hundred men who could freely criticise their dinner, it would be rare to find one who had any knowledge of the processes which had caused the results. However, an Inspector's judgment on practical cookery is, alas ! little likely to be extensively tried. There are very few element- ary girls' schools in which cooking is practically taught, although there are none in which a knowledge of domestic economy is not required, if any of what are technically called special subjects be taught at all.—I am, Sir, &c., S. L.
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