The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1875-07-17
A Plea for the IIis her Education of Women.

justice, and oppression, which have fallen
to the lot of woman. We do not come here
tonight to claim for woman any thing more
than nature has decreed to her. We make
no demand for civil rights, nor for political
rights. We do not assert that the sphere
of woman is the same as that of man; nor
do we say that her intellectual powers are
identical with his. We merely affirm that
woman has a right to be educated. and that,
not because she is the intellectual equal Of
man, but because she is Il woman, and needs
education just as much as man does. We
do not demand that women should be edu-
Gated along with men, in the same institu-
tons, and by the same processes; but that
her claims to education shall not be ignored,
simply because she is not man.
The city of Baltimore enjoys the proud
distinction of having been the first city in
the Union to provide High School exclu-
sively for girls; but what has the State of
Maryland done for the exclusive education
of women A single word answers the
question:-nothing. There are three COL
leges supported by the treasury of the State,
in which one would suppose all should have
equal rights-St. Johns College at Annap-
oils, Washington College at Chestertown,
and the Agricultural College; but all of them
are devoted to the education of young men.
Is it not strange that our law makers should
be so provident for their sons and brothers,
and so neglectful of their daughters and
sisters?
The injustice, with which women are
treated under the educational traditions of
the State, will be made more manifest by
considering a single point in recent legisla-
ton, which brings out the contrast more
strongly than any words OF ours can do. If
young man desires to be fitted for the pro-
fession of teaching, he can not only have
tuition and books, free of cost, but by a
late act Of the Legislature, his boarding for
four years will be paid for by the State:
while, if young woman desires to become
teacher, she must board at her own ex-
pense. A bonus of $500 for the boys; for
the girls, not dollar. Gentlemen, is this
right Is it fair? Is it generous? Is it
honest? You make the laws; but should
you not consider the claims of those who
have no voice in the making of them, and
of whose rights you have constituted your
selves the guardians and protectors ? You
are polite in private life, you are gallant in
public, you are agreeable at all times (espe-
cially when asking favors). We could dis
pense with politeness, with gallantry, with
agreeableness even, if you would only do
us justice; if you would only conccde that
whatever claims for education men have on
the liberalty of the State women have just
the same. You opened to US the common
schools; you did well, and we took advan-
tage of your goodness. You opened to us
the High Schools, and we improved tho
opportunity. You opened to us the Nor
NAL Schools, and we have almost taken ex-
elusive possession. We want more. We
want colleges. Not necessarily your col
leges, but some institutions where we can
have an opportunity of cultivating to the
highest point, the faculties which God has
the possession. You can not say we are
unwilling to be educated We have proved
the contrary in the District Schools, in the
Graded Schools, in the High Schools, in the
Normal School. You cannot say we have
not the capacity for higher education-if
you do, we challenge you to the proof.
| Side by side in this very school, we have
stood, men and women. Who says a girl
| ever blenched from task that a man was
able to perform? Who can say that, Civ
| ing us equal opportunities of cultivation,
we have not made equal returns for the labor
expended Have we not faced the Win
| ter's snow and Summers sun, gentlemen,
just as bravely as you? Did we not keep
| our footing on the slippery pavements OF
the Winter just as firmly as you? Were
we not as punctual at the roll call? Did
we not execute our allotted tasks just as
faithfully? And when the day of final trial
came, were not our weak nerves at least
matches for your study muscles? We ask
no indulgence on the score of weakness: il
we are not able to climb the mountain, we
must remain contentedly at the foot; but
we do object to your setting an arbitrary
limit to our advancement. We object to
your drawing line, and saying, "Hith.
erto shalt thou come and no further"
| We are willing and we are able; why not
give us a chance? Are you afraid we shall
not make good use of the knowledge OBJ
tanned from your bounty? There need be
no fear on that score. We do not seek to
enter into competition with you in youl
n1anlv games. We do not seek to enter
the lists with you in the contest for honor
or for wealth. We do not want to be poll
ticians, office holders, lawyers, doctors, OF
merchants; though, if our ambition lay il
that line, we would not be afraid of the com
petition. We ask only for such share Of
higher education, as will make us equal to
the duties, which Nature and Society have
imposed upon us;-such education as will
fit US for companionship on even terms with
men, and not as gracious condescensor
on the part of the I" Lords of Creation;
such education in short, as will give woman
the utmost possible fitness for her peculiar
duties, as daughter, sister, wife, and mother
A magnificent opportunity is now Offered
to the people OF Maryland, to do her daught
ers the justice that has been so long deniet
them. A new institution of learning is t.
be opened at our very doors 1t is Endowed
with princely munificence 1t is unfetteret
by personal prejudice or historical tradition
1t is under the control of gentlemen of lib
eral views, and undoubted rectitude of pur
pose. 1t has at its head a gentleman, wh'
is sure to add the vigor Of the new schoo
Of thought to the conservatism of the old
Shall women be shut out from the john
Hopkins University, as they have been from
the other colleges of Maryland? They hav
been ignored in the past, must they there
fore be neglected in the future? Shall the,
not have an opportunity to show that the
are DESTROYS of liberal culture, that the,
are deserving of it, and that they can b