, 1873-09-28
THE NEW W0MAN'S COLLEGE,
DR.. Hollands Idea of tho Why to
Run H.


There is to be a new woman's college at
northampton, Mass. Il will bo founded on
generous boQuest made by Miss Sophia Smith,
Of Hatfield; town ad2nlng NogthamPton
point the Board Of Trustees. This Board en-
braces the names Of Profs. Tyler and Julius
soelyo, Of Amherst College Prof. Park, Of
Andover, Joseph White, Of Williametown B.
burn, Of Massachusetts. Such Board Of Trus-
toes "meanH businoss," and the business Ia, In
fact. begun. A site for the college has boon
purchased. and is everything that 1t ought to
elected tho President Of tho institution, and
has accepted tho place. What remains to be
done is to eroct tho buildings aud determine
upon the schemo to be pursued. Exactly hero
we wish to offor few suggestiona.
The Board Of TruHteeB Of Smith College haye
in their hands tho power to aolyo some very
grave questions In connection with tho highor
education Of womnn. They know Just what
Mount Holyoke Seminary is. and whether m in
purpose. II Mount Holyoko is perfect, all they
will wish to do will beto duplicate it as nearly ~
possible. They know what VaBaAr is are they
satisfied with Vassar7 lfso, they will repeat
Vaasar IN Smith, and that will DO the end OF 1t.
It is however, only fair to state that there is In
tho public mind foelnG or conviction, that,
with Ill thoir acknowledged excollencos, neither
Mount Holyoke nor VaBsar is tho ideal womnn's
college. We shire in this conviction, and for
this reason Wc write.
No do not believe in bringing large bodios
either Of young mon or young women, under !
single roof, snd kooping them there for period
OF four years. Young men can be managed in q
college because they eau be parceled out In fami.
lies. They aro able to be out In all kinds a
woather, and arc kept healthy in body a1x
mind by being constantly in contact with tha
world. Young women cannot bc managed In
this way, They must live within tho college
walls, and thus they must be confined to each
other'a society. Tie mHchiefa that are bred by
circumstances like these nono know 30 we'll aa
those who have had charge of large bodies OF
girls under any circunstanceH.. We arc
FREQ to say TINT no consideration would
ter or ward-in college which would shut
her away from all family life for period Of four
years. Tho systom Ia unnatural, and not ono
young woman In ton can be subjected to 1t With
out injury. It iB not necessary to 60 into par
tioulars, but every observing physician or plysi-
ologist knows what wo mean when we say that
such syatem is fearfully unsafe. The facts
which snhstnntiate their opinion would I'LL tho
known. Men may pooh pooh !" these f.ota II
they choose, but tlcy exist. DigenaeB Of body,
diBeRaos Of Imagination, vices OF body and imag-
ination,- n,-oyerythiug NO would aage our children
trom,-aro brol III these great institutions where
life and association aro cireumsoribed, a. woeds
aro forced III hot-bcds.
Can wo Aavo college for women and Hayc
ourselves and them from these dangers and
daMagos? We bolioyo it is possible; and, fur
thormore, VIC believe that, it 1t III not possible,
wo had better throw Our money into tho river,
md stop building womona collegeB altogether.
Women, as d rule, are bettor educated for their
positions than mon arc, now. There arc nc
| great oxigonolos in the case, and thore IL nc
reason for exposing hundreds OF girls to the
porils Of college fo al they at preaent exist. II
no can have q college in which tloae pors arc
mainly avoided, lot la haye 1t II We capnot, the
quicker tho buildings burn down, and tho lonGe,