The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1883-06-15
COLLEGES AND PREJuDICEs

The country laughed at the ridiculous
pre;udices of Harvard college which pre-
vented GOVERNOR BUTLER from receiving
the degree of l.. l.. ID. from that ancient
institution of learning. To be true tie
action Of the overseers was most contem
tible piece of prejudice and petty malice
out nobody but the college oyerseers were
hurt by 1t and they seem too thickheaded
ever to appreciate the injury they have
d ,ne themselves. Certainly neither Gov
EaNoR BUTLER nor the public suffered at
all. But another ancient and respectable
seat of learning has been guilty OF an ac
that smacks of the prejudices OF the past
aud that is an injustice to large portion /
not the entire public. The committee ap-
pointed last February to consider the prop
ostion of co-education of the sexes OF
Columbia college has reported exhaustvely
but against the proposition. For a great
/ ,stitution Of learning thus to declare its
adherence to the prejudices and old plans
OF the past in the matter of education
while all the lately founded schools OF
prominence are throwing open their doors
without regard to sex or political or relig.
ious creed and becoming under the new
regime stronger and more popular and sue
cessiul every year of their existence is to
stab itself most dangerously by declaring
,ainst the reason, justice and progress Of
the age. Whatever may be said of confer.
ring political rights upon women there can
be among progressive and right thinking
people but one opinion touching the rights
of females to enjoy all the educational ia.
cilties and advantages of the stronger sex
Society owes it to itself in view Of woman's
position and influence to educate her with
the same care and thoroughness with
which men are educated, to afford her
every opening and opportunity in the
higher and more famous seats Of learning
that are accorded to males. The prudish
Tears and scntimentality and considerations
that would keep the sexes apart in school
would with equal reason keep them out OF
the same hotel, boarding or business house
factory or even Sunday school. The argu-
ment is mere bosh. Discipline has done all
that was required in the many instances in
which coeducation has been adopted and
many eminent and ilourisbing schools and
universities are growing annually in popu.
lar patronage and estimation where both
sexes and all religions are admitted to the
same privileges. The action of Columbia
college must class it with the sleepy col
leges OF the country, those from which the
progress of the age has turned away and by
which they have been left behind. Ifthere
is one spot above another where prejudice
should have no abiding place, where the
untrammeled action and determinations
of mind should exclude every Other
consideration but that of search
after knowledge, and where social and
moral and the relation.of the-sexes ques
ions should not be allowed to hinder the
imparting OF the highest instruction to the
greatest nu mber. Where the liberalism ant
progress of the age should literally sit en-
throned, it certainly is the school, whether
it be the common high school OF the NOR,
sedate university. And that institution
however old or however rich, must CORES
pondingly suffer in reputation and useful
ness that limits its patrons to one sex O
embraces their instruction within one Greco
or particular set of principles. Cosmo
education not only suggest themselves a
matters of common justice and wisdom t.
all progressive and uppreiudiced minds
but are demanded now by the growing in
telligence of the age, and the constantly in
creasing enfranchisement OF woman.
A PRACTICAL, useful and industrial fea