Speech by Patia Ann Allred – The Allred Family

Female Education
A speech by Patia Ann "Relia" Allred in 1858
contributed around 25 years ago by Debbie Dowling who, I am sad to say, I have lost touch with.

Patia Ann was a Double Allred - descending from 2 different branches of the family:
Lineage:
Patia Ann, William, William, William, William, Solomon born 1680 England and
Patia Ann, William, Patience, Catherine, John, unknown daughter and Samuel Finley, Solomon born 1680 England

Patia Ann was born and raised in Randolph County, North Carolina. She married Nathan Hammond on October 30, 1860 and, sometime between 1860 and 1870, they moved to Indiana and settled in Huntington County.

It is a good sign of the advancement of society whenever attention is paid to female education. No nation has ever been known to advance to [civilization] and improvement where the education of the ladies has been neglected. The state of society in every nation is easily determined by the attention that is paid to the cultivation of the female mind. In the dark ages of the world and in a great many; countries, and even in the United States at the present day a great many think it [unnecessary] to educate their daughters. It is said by some that ladies have no use for education and by others that they are incapable of acquiring it.

But we find where they have the same opportunities the [female] mind is equally as susceptible in acquiring education as that of the [rude sex]. I for one do believe that it is as highly [necessary] for ladies as it is for gentlemen not withstanding some will say that the female does not require education because they have nothing to do with political [affairs]. I do not think so far they have the first [training] of the son before he is yet qualified for political offices, merely all the great and eminent men both in ancient and modern times have [confessed] that they owed most of their greatness to the[influence] of their pious and well educated mothers among them of modern times I might mention George Washington. John {Quincey}, and Henry Clay, and many others. All persons carry some of their mother's teaching to the grave, for the words of a pious mother is [indelible] and her influence never forgotten. Take a son or a daughter who has given heed to the influence of a pious and well educated mother and the largest [number] will follow the examples of their mothers.

Children as a general rule will follow the steps of their parents whether they be pious or impious, learned [or] unlearned; if the mother talks awkwardly and uses bad language, her children are sure to do so too. If the mother for the want of education fails to govern her [passions]; the children are certain to be bad tempered and ungovernable; impressions made in childhood are always most lasting; in fact they never can be entirely eradicated. We see that females occupy a very responsible station in society. We are too apt to overlook the end of female education, that it is the formation of character, what a lady knows is comparatively little to what a lady is. When I speak of female education, I do not mean all that is sometimes taught in [some] of the fashionable boarding schools, where a lady is thought to be accomplished if she can [thrumal] a little on the piano, do some fine-needlework and picture a rose, and at the same time know but little [If] any of the solid sciences. Music, needlework may be well enough in their proper places, but I think it is more important that her mind should be well stored with useful and solid information such as will enable her to perform the incumbent duties of life. It is conceded by some of the wisest men in this country that female teachers are better qualified by nature than males for teaching children in the first branches of education. So I would say let a lady if [possible] excel in all she does attempt and we would find no fault of her if her accomplishments [are] few. How delightful it is to meet with a lady whose mind is stored with useful information: who is capable of lasting intellectual beauty and who is withal destitute of pretension. On the other hand to see a young lady in company destitute of education without any knowledge of the grammar of her own language and full of pretension it is disgusting. Let us therefore cherish our institutions of learning and educate all the young ladies.

The prevailing [manners] of any age, depend more than most people are aware, or willing to allow on the conduct of the ladies. This is one of the principle things on which the great machine of human society turns. Those who allow the influence with female graces have in polishing the manners of men would do well to reflect how great an influence female morals have over their conduct.

How much then it is to be regretted that ladies should ever sit down, contented to polish when they are so able to reform; they should not be satisfied merely to entertain when they are so able to instruct.

Nothing delights men more than the strength of their understanding when true gentleness of manners is its associate. United they become irresistible orators. Blessed with the power of persuasion. Fraught with the sweetness of instruction. Making the highest ornament of human nature.

Education not only enables a lady to be useful in society, but it gives great satisfaction to its [professor].

One of the most agreeable consequences of education is the respect and importance [it] gives to old age: when beauty has faded away and all the outward charms have fled then they are only respected for the richness of their mind's.

Now I [don't] think a person should be treated with contempt because they are destitute of this great refiner of the human mind especially when they have not had the opportunity of acquiring it, but I wish to show the use of it. No [creature] gives his admiration for nothing. Either the eye must [be] charmed to the understanding gratified; a lady must talk wisely or look well. Every human being must expect to be treated with the coldest civility, who has neither the charms of youth nor the wisdom of age. Neither is there the slightest commiseration for decayed accomplishments: No person mourns over the fragments of a dancer, or drops a tear on the [relics] musical skill. They are flowers destined to perish: but the decay of great [talents} is always the subject of solemn [pity]: and even when the [their] last memorial is over their pious affection.