In Wollstonecraft’s introduction to Vindication of the Rights of Woman, she states, “It is acknowledged that they spend many of the first years of their lives in acquiring a smattering of accomplishments: meanwhile, strength of body and mind are sacrificed to libertine notions of beauty, to the desire of establishing themselves, the only way women can rise in the world--by marriage. Can they govern a family, or take care of the poor babes whom they bring into the world?” She argues that women need to be educated in terms of taking care of the family, as well as gaining knowledge about other topics of importance that do not relate to becoming a good housewife. If women are expected to raise children, she needs to be educated in order to be able to educate her own children. I think Wollstonecraft argues that this process of acquiring knowledge is cyclical in nature, which is why women need to be educated before they become mothers so that they can pass on the knowledge they learn to their children and the cycle can be broken.
I agree Wollstonecraft believes education to be a cyclical process starting with mothers in the home. I would be interested to learn more about what kind of system she envisions for educating women: would she integrate them into the male school structure or have separate institutions? I would also like to know how she would separate the curriculum for women.
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