culed or censured for an act of which I was the instigator,
and for which I am chiefly responsible. I am in favor of electing
ladies to that office, and accordingly voted for one, without her
knowledge or consent; several Democrats as well as Republicans
voted with me. I have reason to believe that scores of Democrats
voted for the able and popular candidate of the Republicans (Dr.
William H. Smith), and but for my peculiar notion I should have
voted for him myself, as I always vote with the Republican party.
I am in favor, however, of laying aside politics in voting for
school committees, and the question of capability should outweigh
the question of sex. A few years ago we had a large number of boy
schoolmasters, but agents are learning to appreciate teachers of
tact, experience and natural qualifications, as well as
book-knowledge. Of eleven schools under the care of the writer
the past year, but one had a male teacher, and by turning to the
reports I find that of forty-nine schools in Hiram during the
past two years, forty-two were taught by ladies. Four of these
teachers of the past year have taught respectively twenty,
twenty-one, twenty-three and thirty schools. I put the question,
why should a lady who has taught thirty schools be considered
less suitable for the office of school committee than the
undersigned, who has taught but two, or scores of men who never
taught school at all? Slowly and with hesitation over the ice of
prejudice comes that unreasonable reason--"_O, 'cause._" But
regardless of pants or crinoline, the question remains unanswered
and unanswerable. It is not deemed improper for the ladies of
Hiram to go with their husbands to the town-house to a cattle
show and fair, and serve as committees on butter and cheese, but
it is considered unreasonable for ladies to serve as
superintendents of school committees.

General Washington gave a lieutenant's commission to a woman for
her skill and bravery in manning a battery at the battle of
Monmouth. He also granted her half-pay during life. It is stated
in "Lincoln's Lives of the Presidents" that "she wore an
epaulette, and everybody called her Captain Molly." And yet I do
not read in history that General Washington was ever impeached.
Females have more and better influence tha