1839

 

Henry Clay launches his third campaign to become president. When his stance on slavery costs him support, he explains, “I would rather be right than the President.” (97/254)

* 

September, possibly: Massachusetts opens the first “normal school” in the country for the training of teachers. 

Godey’s Lady’s Book takes note: 

Some two or three years ago the sum of ten thousand dollars was given by an individual for the purpose of founding Normal Schools in the state provided the legislature would give a like sum. This was done, and the first Normal School was opened at Lexington a few weeks since for Female Teachers! There is soon to be another normal school for males – but the precedence has, for once, been given in the walks of science to woman! (232)

 

(By 1862, Illinois had 7,381 women engaged in teaching, compared to 7,713 men. That same year, New York had 18,915 females in the classrooms, and only 7,585 men. See: 113/234) 

The causes for which Godey’s fought included the first trade schools, the first night schools, the first school for the blind, the first school library, the endowment of Wells’ Seminary by “the great Express man,” the opening of Harvard University to women, and the establishment of Sage College at Cornell. These were only a few causes Sarah Hale supported. “Surely, the magazine “did much to make education fashionable, especially feminine education.” Hale noted, in January 1850, that Godey’s had “said little of the Rights of Women. 

But her first right is to education in its widest sense, to such education as will give her the full development of all her personal, mental and moral qualities. Having that, there will be no longer any question about her rights; and rights are liable to be perverted to wrongs when we are incapable of rightly exercising them. (113/236-237)

 

* 

This hopeful song – unless you’re a Native American – is published.

 

“Westward Refrain”

(George Pope Morris)

 

Droop not, brothers!
As we go,
O’er the mountains,
Under the boughs of mistletoe,
Log huts we’ll rear,
While herds of deer and buffalo
Furnish the cheer.
File o’er the mountains – steady, boys
For game afar
We have our rifles ready, boys! – 
Aha!
Throw care to the winds,
Like chaff, boys! – ha!
And join in the laugh, boys! –
Hah – hah – hah!

Cheer up, brothers!
As we go,
O’er the mountains,
When we’ve wood and prairie-land,
Won by our toil,
We’ll reign like kings in fairy-land,
Lords of the soil!                                                                  
Then westward ho! in legions, boys –

Fair Freedom’s star
Points to her sunset regions, boys –
Aha!
Throw care to the winds,
Like chaff, boys! – ha!
And join in the laugh, boys! –
Hah – hah – hah!

Trouble was coming for Native Americans.

 

NOTE TO TEACHERS: I think students might like to comment on this song – and what a member of the Cherokee or Lakota or Nez Perce tribes might think about it.