New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-07-24
% 4 DENONI1CIL UNnH.U

When, about the year 1900, young girl OF
Dion, in France, formed the plan of a school
for girls, her father, member of the pro-
vincial parliament, doubted its propriety. NJ.
dc Saintonges called together four doctors OF
the law, to decide whether it was not a
demoniacal work to instruct women, qHinstruirc
deS tcmmeS n'GtGit pas une Guvre du demon
The lawyers i'll this case approved the measure
and the father assented. But when the city
rose IN riot against his daughter, and the
children stoned her in the street, he withdrew
his assent. Then FRANCHISE de Santonges,
taking fifty lvres, which was all the money
she had in the world, hired an obscure house,
and on Christmas Eve took five young girls
with her into it, and said to them: "Ths is
"the first Ursuline school of Dion; all my
money is spent in paying my years rent
eve have no beds, but we can spend the
"night in prayer" The next day NJ. de
Saintonges charitaby sent them the broken
victuals from his dnner-table, and thus the
school began its work. Twelve years after,
the City of Dion held high festival; the
streets were strewn with flowers, the bells
rang; forth from that humble abode walked
hundred maidens in white, bearing wax
candles, and preceded by the provincial par
lament and the soldiers and tho procession
marched through the streets to the stately
building which is still the Ursuline Convent
of Dion.
Like the change which twelve years brought to
| the daring enterprise of FRANCHISE de Sainton-
ges is the change that every year is maturing
as to the collegiate education of women in
America. II is not yet six years since the
| very existence of such sex as that called "the
fairer" was absolutely ignored by that other
sex (Which must certainly be called, in this
case, the unfairer) upon all collegiate anniver-
saries. The college, it is true, was usually
called mother at these festivals, but it
never was limited that she had, or could have,
any daughters, and she was expected, like
Lady Macbeth, to bring forth men-children
comfy" Or if by possibility any younger
women were mentioned, it was only the class
of devOut and well-pOrtiOned ladies, who were
willing to leave their daughters untaught, pro-
vided they could endOw scholarships for other
peoples sons. Many worthy professor in
"the highest degree poor and piOus" Gas Jean
Paul said of his grandfather) dated his own
prosperity from the day when some wOman's
purse bad saved him from academical starya-
ton; hut not one out of all these felt moved
to bestow so much as the crumbs from the
college table upon women in return.
How all that is changed! Each year, at the
annual college banquet, rises now the phantom
of the COMING WOMAN. Last year she was sum
moned before the Harvard graduates by the
Rev. DR.. Hedge, almost the senior professor
of the University; while DR.. S. G.. Howe and
the Hon. +. w. Bird leach the father of fair
daughters brought her before the graduates
of Brown. This year Williams College ap-
points committee to consider the expediency
of her admission 80 does Amherst whose
committee is ilIenry Ward Beecher. Among
these eypectant colleges, Amherst now takes
| the lead, thanks mainly to the prompt
action of Ex-Governor Bullock of Massachu-
sets, President of the Alumni Association,
who quietly drew his check for a scholarship,
the income to be paid, other things being
equal, to woman. This was instantly met
! by similar offer from another graduate and
these are pungent arguments. Whatever else
may be said of our colleges, no one can deny
that they have a keen eye to the main
chance" just new and if the men of
wealth begin TO demand it, there is no GER
tainty that they would not Gust by way of a
[
doors to well-qualiiied gorilas.
SO far as young women are concerned, the
only New-England college which has yet got
beyond these preliminary inquiries is Bates
College, at Lewiston, Maine, whose Presi-
dent boasts with reason, in his annual ad-
dress, ave know no sect, and, what is more,
ave know no SEX" But the younger Western
colleges seem to be going steadily in the same
direction, and following the older traditions Of
Oberlin and Antioch. The July Old and Neg
contains full reports from the State UNIVERSE
ties of Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin, as
well as from several other Western institu-
tons, all agreeing that the introduction of wo-
men has done only good in those cases. and
no manner of harm.
| 1t is idle TO ignore tendency - W.