New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-01-27
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
PREPARATORY SCHOOLS FOR vAssAR.

PREPARATORY SCHOOLS FOR VASSAR
SCHOOLS NOW IN PoUGHkEEPsIE AMPLY COMPETENT
FOR TIE wOgK-A REP1Y TO STATEMENTS MADE
AT TIE LAST ALUMNE REUNION.
TO the Editor OF The tribune.
SIR: BY the report of the Reunion OF
yasssr College Alumn" In your issue OF the 10Th inst
learn that Miss Ely, Presidcntelect, mado short
speech which was in substance plea for the estapsh
ment OF efficient preparatory schools, which she con-
sdered TO be the first duty Of the Vassar Anmne IN
view OF the fact that vassars preparatory department
was looked upon as great injury to tho prosperity oi
the college and because there few schools IN INC
country capabeof preparing girls for the FRESHMAN
Class ITO which was added the declaration
that there was school in Ncw-York CITY that
could do IL, not the Normal College
President Ely has undoubtedly spoken In good iatn'
moved y zeal for the culture OF the young women
of the land Bat will you allow me, through yonr col
umns-waiyng consideration OF the statement that vas
sars preparatory department IA great INJURY w INC
coege-tO say from personal knowledge III reiereoo u
the quite sweeping assertions made, that young GucS
have cen successfully prepared for tho Freshman otSs
I'm Poughkcepsc schools within sight OF NaSSar COegc'
that these schools have undimnished facilities for the
same work opportunity is afforded, AMI at Prcsdcht
Ely refer least hundred Young ladies to thcse
Pougbkeepsie schools without tic least iSgiyngs us 10
the success of their applications for admission.
We know that there arc ready established some good
schools and believe that there more than c" quite
equal to the task OF preparing Young ladies' OF ordinary
ability for the Freshman Sophomore Class OF vas
sar College. The empty honor OF Simply lvn8
under the roof OF go lcse has been so laschhlinS
to parents and daughters that in many cases
Young ladies endrcly untitled in age ana In ATTAIN
enis have FASTENED to apply for admission to NaS'ar
College aud have been found 40 utterly wanting rs 10
be barely able with much coaching to enter the rnt OF
two years preparatory while the blame iOr mise
failures has attributed 10 the lncicicnry of pre-
paratOry schools because fOrS0Oth IL has h'cn I'M
po,s1.r annihate the ipdSp cnsabe element OF ue
in fine conduct OF student from the rllHnents Ia me
standard ofthr Freshman Glass; when the fallt rriy
lies in an haste to attain college honors AZ YET
entirely ont Of reach. - =. -
Dmg the year lS75-6 there were 2GJ students III mo
cocge proper and 60 students in the preparatory ne
partmcnt at vassir College IL u we-knoWh lac uii
The income from a these students was less Dy SeYIsI
thousand dollars than the amount necessary 10 ueld
tLe college expenses. From this fact it Il e. den at
with IT, present endowment anu under existing GlIcun
stances the preparatory department II a absolute ne
cpssity: and III the AuiInP would remove TINS Gi'a III
ry ~ the prosperity oftnc college, instead OfteptnS
To raise niooy build ofcssors' hGu>eS oht5lc ne
college building" they should devote themselves 10 thc
task 81 drvsng ways and means 10 C0niinc the cOc.e
cxpendturr> within the uarrOwest Limits wh"n wise
ccoun,ny yould r,lIclto EDWARD WHITE.
TougAEeepSe, y. J., Jan. IL, 1871