, 1873-05-25


cipally with tho stars, very earthly in OF
their habits.
]: HIGHER EDUCATION OF WOMAN.
Among the subjects discussed at the recent
Social Science Convention held in Boston Was
"Tho Higher Education Of Woman" in which
Col. Hgginson, Prof. Agassiz, President Eliot,
,of Harvard, President Raymond, Of Vassar,
Mrs. Julia Ward Howe, and other persons Of dis
tinction, took an active part The interest Of the
subject was considerably enhanced by the emil
/ nence OF the debaters and the different vioUs
/ which they advanced. In the course Of his re-
marks, President Eliot said that it Was always q
marvel to him how different people arrived at
different conc1usions with the same facts
before them, and through the Same process
Of reasoning. It is on this account, however,
that Social Science Conventions have value for
the community, and it was particularly unfortu-
nate for the cause Of woman in this particular
discussion that Hrs. Julia Ward Howe lost her
temper, and thereby furnished the scoffers with
material for maintaining that women are not
adapted for deliberatire discussions, though the
point WIS not made against Aer.
Col. Higginson read the paper on "Tho
Higher Education OF Woman which gave rise
to the discussion. Col Higginson is an expo
nent OF tho doctrine that les races SO 5eu.ini-
sent" He claimed that man is by no means
siiro OF retaining his superiority. \. He
even :intimated that the distinctive adj
vantagos Of the male portion Of the
human race are gradually being absorbed by the
female portion, though he did not say whether or
not the female portion is likely to lose it's dstinc
tive advantages with the new gain. He is not only
IN outspoken advocate of opening the doors Of tho
higher collegiate education to women, but Of
the joint and coordinate education OF the SEXES
in the samo colleges. He opposed himself to
what he held to be three popular fallecios On this
subject, viz: That women require different diet
because of their physical differences; that they
are inferior: to men intellectually; and
that they labor under q hopeless physi-
cal inferiority. His observations have been.
that the laws Of digestion are the same in men
and women, and, therefore, do not affect tho
relations OF sexes. His conclusion is, that it
thoy can assimilate the same food physically
they may also digest the same mental pabulum.
On the subject Of hopeless intellectual inferi-
ority he did not dwell long, as indeed there was
little 1eason for doing, since the fallecy has been
exploded in a thousand instances, which are ut
tho tongues end Of every one interested in the
advancement Of woman, He scoffed ut the
allchelot theory Of woman's constitutional
frailty, and cited instances in which the female
sex had borne up with equal success under
severe mental discipline. The death record Of
Oberlin College is one Of the best instances he
brought forward. Out Of eighty-four young
ladies who have graduated from this institution
ont OF sG8 young mon who have graduated
during the same time, thirty-four have died, or
ono in eleven. Tho subsequent pursuits Of
these colegiates, however, may have had much
to do with determining this result. Col Higgin-
son advanced the curious idea that. it will bo the
young women OF the middle and poorer classes
who will avail themselves Of the future oppor-
tunitics for higher education. This opin-
ion WIS evidently based upon the ground
TINT the pursuit Of social and fashionable
influence absorbs tho time and attention Of the
young women in the wealthier classes; but it is
to be hoped that, II women arc to enter the
higher fields Of education to the same extent as
men, the wealthier classes will share the advan-
4ara ~. +1a
the men,: Concerning the just education Of the
youth Of both sexes, Col. Higginson's opinion is,
that the growing favor: Of the elective system
Of study in our colleges will cause it to act as an
important agent in bringing both sexes together
in the same institution The general adoption OF
this yBtem would then meetthe objection that the
sygtern of education for woman should be mora
elastic than that for MAI Col. HigginHon relied
mainly upon the results Of the joint system at
Cornell and Oberlin, and in the public schools,
to confirm his position.
The discussion which followed the residing Of
Col Higginson's paper WAS varied md instruc-
tive, An united in the belief that woman should
be accorded facilities for higher education, but
has been practical worker in this field, for it
was he who threw open the doors Of the Har-
yard Museum (Which is not strictly governed by
the discipline Of Harvard College, to both sexes.
It il aleo his intention to open the Anderson
School of Natural History, which may now be
regarded as fat accomp1i, to young women
as well IS to young men, and he stated TINT he
had received about an equal number Of app1ica-
tons for admission from both sexes. He could
not agroe with Col. Higginson, however, on the
laws Of digestion. His own observation has
been that the preferences, appetites, and needs
Of women with reference to diet we're not the
same as those Of men ; but he did not know that
this should necessarily affect their mental disci-
pline. President Raymond, who. is at the head
- . o,11aoa FIR women. is so much in favor Of