New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-03-06
UOuEN NOT TO ENTER COLUMBI4

UOuEN NOT TO ENTER COLCNBIi.
The action taken by the trustees OF Columbia
Yesterday will not satisfy those who have
been earnestly advocating the admission OF
women to the privileges of the college. In the
petition which was recently Presented the gov
erniug body was asked To extend to women
"the many and great benefits Of education III
columbia College by admitting them to lee
@tures and examinations" This the trustees
decline to do. They declare emphatcaiiy
that it is inexpedient 10 attempt to educate
the sexes together at this institution. 1his
opinisn is shared, no doubt, by great many
signers of the petition. AS was expressly
stated when the paper was laid before the
board, it was not intended 10 ask Tor Co
education" If the trustees could have seen
their way clear to give young women tue Op-
portunlty to profit by the instructions OF tie lac
uIty and by the OF all the appliances OF learn
ing hich the college has accumulated, no
one would have urged that the young women
sbould be taught in the same class-rOoms at the
same hou.s with the young men. But 1t has
been decided that Columbia is not now III
condition to provide in any way for the cdu-
cation of women in the college. As 10 the ex-
nedlency of making such provision, if there
were no unancLdl ODsldcico, III" ihCi"'NiS -
the committee which made the report adopted
yesterday are evidently not unit. That Is
an easy inference from the report itself. But
the committee unanimously voted, and the
! trustees unanimously decided, that with her
present means Columbia cannot open It's doors
| TO women.
The disclosure made by this report OF the
condition OF the college finances will certainly
surprise the community at large. 1t has been
matter of common belief that the resources of
the institution were amply sufficient for its
needs. Among the cherished deusions of New
| Workers has been the notion that their
| city contained church and college
of such enormous wealth that the
broadcast plans of religious and educational
work were not too large for them. But the
year. book of old Trinity shows that only by
the most prudent administration is her income
sufficient for her chapels and schools, her
charities and her labors. And now Columbia
appears as burdened with 40 enormous debt
instead of enormous wealth, and as finding her
endowment insufficient for the progress which
she desires to make. She has no money, il
Sc ms, with which TO provide for the instruc-
ton Of women. Plans are in hand, it is stated,
wealthy and intelligent citizens of NewYork
are to be appealed TO for aid in making it all
that those who govern it desire it to be. But
these plans do not include any provision for
giving women an equal share In It's privileges.
The signers of the petition are told that If
they desire to found school for the education
of women as part of the University. but CEN
trely detached from its existing departments"
the trustees will carefully consider how best to
develop the growth of so interesting foun-
dation." No one will accuse the Board Of
excessive rashness in that concession.
Let us see then just what Columbia is will
ing to do for women. The report adopted yes
terday outlines a plan of which these are the
chief features ~ The public announcement
of conrse of study to extend over at least
three years. (2) Examinations and reviews
to be held by the faculty for young women
who have pursued this course. (3) Award
Ing q diploma or testimonial to those who
are successful at these examinations.
The course of study Is to be pursued
outside the college. That is expressly pro-
vided. But it is suggested that it may be pur-
sued "under the observation OF its authorities"
Just how much that means cannot be told I'M
I'll the pan Is perfected. DuI III Is pam at
glance that the scheme is very far from af
forGing young women that equal snare in the
privileges OF the institution which the petit
ton sought. In that memorial the trustees
were asked to admit women to the college
lectures and examinations, and not merely to
announce a course Of study to be pursued out
side.
Whatever may prove to be the value of the
concession made by the trustees and we
would not be understood rs disparaging 1t in
the least it is evident enough that
the dnnrs Of The cnllege ere clnsed 10 women