New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-05-08
WOMEN AND COLUMBIA.
THE REPORT OF DIR. prx,s COMMITTEE.


ULTY-DR. BARNARD's REPORT
Two important reports were received at the Nav
meeting Of the trustees OF Columbia College, held
yesterday. One was the annual report of President
Barnard; this was referred to special committee,
which will report at the meeting on June A. The
other report was made by the committee to which
was referred In February the petition addressed To
the Board by the Association for Promoting tho
Higher Education Of Women In New-York Tho
committee submitted report in March, which was
published In The TRBUNE-sugeesting plan by
which the standard of female education in this city
might bc raised, The Board accepted the report,
and the committee instructed to prepare the
plan which had been suggested. This was presented
yesterday and the report ordered to DO printed
so that each trustee mfaht have an opportunity ot
reading it before a vote called for. This report
will also be acted upon at the meeting IN June
| is very long, and written by the Rev. DE-
| Morgan Dix, chairman Of the committee.
A REPORT ON THE EDUCATION OF WOMEN
The report is in substance as follows:
The Select Committee appointed on February ts
| consider petition addressed to this Board and
communicated through the Association for Pro
| noting the Higher Education OF Women. respect
fully present this their second report At the stated
| meeting of this Board held on March ., your COM
| mittee having reported, were continued with In
structOns to prepare plan for carrying the follow
| ing resolution into effect:
ReSoired That Board deem it expedient to institute
measures FOR raising The standard OF female education
college but under the observation OF s authorities. aud
Offering suitable academic honors aud distinctions TO
any who. on examination shall be found TO have pur~
| sued such courses OF study with success
Before stating the plan which they have agreed
| to recommend, your committee ask the indulgencs
| of the Board while alludlng to certain questions
which they have been called 10 consider in con-
nectiOn with the matter referred to them. Among
the suggestions made to the committee we're some
which related TO the condition or the private
schools of this city. The impression seems To loo
general that the work of raising the standard ot
female education and improving its quality ought
TO begin in these schools and should have
the sanction and Jealous cooperation Of their priD-
cipals and teachers. and accordingly desire rs
been expressed that the Board should endeayor 70
exert an influence III that direction by preparing an
outline of conrse of study and recommending us
adoption in tue said schools. 1t may be questioned
whether If such course were prepared and offered
IT would be pOssl bic 10 receive general concur
renee on the part Of the principals IN substituting
1t for the courses at present and perhaps FOR long
tlme pursued III them and your committee are OF
the opinion that Ii would DE better TO aim at attain
ing the end indirectly than to offer suggestions
which might not secare a favorable reception. The
schools to which we refer are private enterprises,
each the creation of individual effort nnalded oy
State subsidies and not connected with the civil
| Government. fheir heads generally women of
marked ability and strong character, whose
has been the of their zeal and industry, and
who have TO a great extent stamped their own in
dlvduality their work and expressed III II their
earnest convictions aud special ideas. 10 attempt
|
| a common system wOnld be npruient nor IL 10
clear that the advantages secured. whatever they
| might be, would compensate for the possible harm
| TO the schools themselves.
1t has also been suggested that although tho Board
has declined TO attempt to educate tue sexes to-
| gether in Columbia College and Is not able To pro-
vIue for the education OF women within the college.
members OF the faculty might be ready aud willing
to render their services IN instructing deserving
| young women, and that the plan to be proposed w
| this committee should indicate way in which our
| professors m ght be so employed. Your COMMITTEES
| have no doubt that the college officers would DO
prompt to volunteer for that work even a. "A per-
sonal sacrifice. But the practical difficulty is that
| before their services could be made available 1t
would be necessary tO provide suitable apartments
for instruction. The Board has already declined TO
undertake 10 make such arran geneuts, and 1t Is OBJ
vlUus that in the OF students dispersed Though
the city, schools and some pr yate houses
or lodgings, the aid of our colege officers aud the
benefit OF their personal attention could not be
| employed Your committee have not deemed It
necessary, therefore, to ascertain how many of tho
Faculty of the college would be wiling to volunteer
| for work OF this character nor how their services
| should be recompensed.
Your committee of the opinion that at present
| the education OF women may best be carried ON IN
schools or colleges OF their own, aud that
! these should b. ordered and appointed
| as to exclude merely superficial teach
ing or a work so oppressive to impair the health
of the students Ii is 10 be hoped that he atteB-
tiOn of the public Is drawn more aud more toward
these important subjects, aud as private hberality
increases, the means will he provided Tor estaOsh-
| ing educational institutions for young women IN
| this city IN which all reasonable requirements VIII
be met. When school OF this KIND, thoroughly
furnished for its good work and conducted with due
| regard tor the laws of physiology aud hygitne and
| reverence for the principles OF Christian feig9n,
| shall ask recognition, think that way will bs
found to connect it with university system aud
to to it the advantage OF the personal attend
of our college faculty 10 Its several branches of
| instruction. But meanwhile your committee can
| only recommend measures which must 6e regarded
| as provisional and tentative They believe. how
ever that much may 9e effected at once hrst re-
| CARDS the elevation of the standard OF our privats
! schools and secondly relates to the encourage
Inent of those women who wish to secure a due rec
ognition of their proficiency.
THE PLAN PROPOSED.
The plan which the, propose includes the follow
inc particulars: That course of study should DO
prepared to extend q term of four years; ihat
it should be arranged in groups; that of these
groups one should be required Tor the first two
years and tLat with it another should be selected:
that on the expiration of the first two years all tho
| groups should become electives that "a general and
very strict preparatory examination Should oe Icld
| this examination should have reference to tho
course in general. like the examination for entrance
Iuto the freshman class III college,; that unies
| uuder special circumstances, young woman
| should be admitted 10 such entrance examination
before she has attained the age OF eighteen years;
that every student admitted should he entirely
free US to where and how TO pursue her studies.
! whether in some school, private or public or a.
home. under the auspices aud direction OF any
association interested in her welfare aud advance
| meut and providing her with the means Of educa-
ton that examinations should be held as often as
| NAV be necessary, such examinations TO be
| Quoted by officers of the college or their duly
appointed representatives, aud TO be in writing;
| that at the end of her fourth year or Of
the completion of any of her prescribed courses,
the student should receive certificate stating tho
subjects which he has pursued aud with what sue
| cess
| Your committee think that certain substantial
| advantages would be secured by the adoption OF
this PLAN aud among them the following; A
test will be afforded of the extent and sincerity VI
| the wish for collegiate education among
| the young woman OF this city, an indi-
rect influence will be brought bear the schools
of the city, each of which, If il proposes TO prepare
OrlS for the cOlleQlItn