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beings with faculties of mind and body that are capable of infinite development. We must educate women first as souls, then as members of Society, and then as women, or our education will never be perfect.
Lastly, I shall briefly state my view of the place of religion in the education of women. I strongly oppose the policy of education held by religious people, who try to teach a particular religion to the students of their schools, and who in some cases seem using education as a sort of bait for converting youths to their religion. Such policy will do harm rather than good both to the cause of education and that of religion as well. Education and religion ought never to be confused. I cannot, however, approve of the policy of anti-religious education resorted to by non-religious men, who try to insinuate into the minds of young students the principles of atheism, and make them think that religion is nothing but superstition and illusion. Education has no right to attack religious systems, and in so doing it deviates from its proper sphere. It is not right to antagonize any religion in a school any more than to teach and propagate it. We ought to avoid falling into both of these errors. Educators must have a spirit of tolerance to all religions, and allow students perfect freedom in adhering to any religion they choose; and at the same time ought to inculcate high moral principles of life, aiming at the spiritual edification of the students without interfering with their individual faiths. Such teaching will tend to strengthen the conviction of students in the essential and everlasting truths, and let alone the non-essential and valueless elements of their respective religions. So far and no farther can education go in religious instruction. The University for Women stands firm on this principle. It is not a religious institution like mission schools, nor anti-religious like some of our Government schools. The spirit of tolerance and sympathy towards all religions reigns over the institution. This attitude, we believe, is to be taken everywhere and in all times by those who devote themselves to the sacred work of education.