The Portland daily press., 1868-12-07
m aiue C0iieAes-Thnir syuurs and Their

tiOss
Fourth Page Life without an Atmosphere;
A DJwn East Parson; Hunting for Treasure.
Maine Coliexes-Thnir Huuis and Their
Du,ies.
We have now in this State, If we MISTAKE
not, Eve colleges. H,ymlny students Ihey
ar. capable OF accommodating we have no
means OF knowing. BIZ there is no DOUBT
that each could accommodate and would like
to get many more than at present. We do
not believe any qualified applicants would be
turned away it the number were doubled -
Our colleges want students Are there no
m ore students who want such an education
a. there Colleges furnish, enough to pay for
1t? Certainly not among those to whom our
colleges now open their doors. This concu-
sion Is inevita lie on survey of the lacts.-
Why then shall not the privileges of col
lege education be al nrded to Others who are
now debarred from them? The only two OF
our co legs now open to women are Date'
and the institution at Kent's LIN. our Two
oldest and best institutions, Bowdon College
and Colhy University, are exclusively devoted
to the young men. Is it not about time to
DESTROY this monopoly and to open to all
without distinction of sex those advantages
which time and the generous contributions of
patrons have enabled these colleges to afford?
The number of women VINO could and would
avail themselves Of tue op portunities thus
offered would no doubt be small at first, but
would continually increase as the example Of
Elm mic in tho pnO pTf eliminated
emulation, and custom broke down the PERU
dices of society. AS tue qualifications of
women came to be better understood and
more fully appreciated they would command
higher pay and SO be better able to avail
themselves OF the opportunities tor ga ming
liberal aducation. Many who could not take
the whole course might like the advantages of
a college for the study OF the sciences or some
other specially.
So tar from receiving any detriment We be-
leye our colleges would rive positive ben
left from the influx Of this new element. It
Is just what they need to give them new vi
tally. The refining influence Of the young
women you'd do much toward repressing
the scenes OF rowdyism aid vice which too
often disgrace our college records. There is
no time in lie when young men are in great
er need OF such a restraint than when their
characters are forming il college. Just SO
lar as the sexes choose TO be educated sapa-
rateiy We may conclude that the separation
has some rational foundation. Any involun.
tary separation is sure TO prove baneful to
both. Oberlin aud Antioch colleges both ad-
mt ladies and gentlemen on the same terms.
Scenes OF indecorum are very rare. The ex-
pertinent is admirably calculated to disarm
the fears of those cautious conservatives who
think that the association of the sexes tends
TO corrupt boLh. bis obsolete and exploded
notion should be dismissed. 1t is unworthy
of the times.
The influence of this new competition in
stimulating students to greater excellence in
their studies, ought not to be overlooked
For want Of some additional sphere too many
allow themselves 20 sink into istless ndo-
ience-the first otep>toward vice as surely as
"ln idle brain is the Devils workshop"
In short whether we look at the pecuniary,
social, moral Or intellectual condition OF our
cole 'e'' we conclude that they would derive
bd7efit from admitting both sexes to an
equal participation in their privileges. Will
e. sllo narrow lreiudices 10 deter them
from milking forward movement SO h,ahly
D3leHcial both TO themselves and to the com
maniiy? II so, we venture TO predict that tue
tlina Is coming when the 10 an who shuts the
d1ot of a college against any human being
properly qualified and struggling to become
wiser aud better will be despised by others
even il he has not sense of decsncy enough
to lcel ashamed of himself