Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-12-31
COLLEGES FOR WOMEN.
Progress of Equality in Educating the Sexes
o1,,b; 10

philadelphia Record.I
In these days of Advancement it is
difficult to understand how it happened
that less than sixty years ago when a
high school for girls was first estab-
lished in Boston, the pioneer of pro-
gress, general alarm was felt among
men at the success of the movement,
and the school was in consequence
closed, and the young women thirsting
for knowledge were sent back to the
grammar school with the boys. But
the doctrine of equality in education for
both sexes was weak and puny infant
in those days and easily subdued.
Nevertheless it grew in strength, and
in 1888 Oberlin College was founded,
open to both boys and girls, since which
time over 900 women have entered it's
portals to emerge full-hedged gradu-
ates, fitted, SO far as book-learning
goes, to stand side by side with their
brothers. Such thing as college
exclusively for women did not then ex-
list. Mount Holyoke, established in
1887, was the first, and, for many years,
the only one of this kind. Vassar
followed in 1865. Then the universities
began to open their doors to women,
although it must be confessed that in
the beginning no spirit of welcome ac-
companied the act. Michigan Univer-
sity took the lead in this line, closely
followed by Boston, Harvard, Cornell,
and others, until now a young woman
in the United States may almost choose
her alma mater at will, there being no
less than 236 colleges open to her, be-
sides more than 100 art schools and
several medical institutes.
That they have not been slow to
make the most of their opportunities is
shown by the number Of earnest stu
dents pursuing the regular course in
institutions where they are admitted
and attending special lectures where
they are not debarred from that privi-
lege, and by the thousands of enthusi-
astic workers in the field.
Canada was not far behind in the
matter of equality in education, and
now boasts scores of high schools and
colleges where the minds Of girls re-
ceive the same practical attention as
those of the boys This is just as it
| should be. Man is not confined to any
special sphere, and why woman should
be debarred from making of herself
whatsoever she will is a problem diff
cult of solution.
The school which affords women an
equal chance with men is the primary
factor to woman's advancement, and
makes noble showing in the grand
army of female doctors, lawyers, min
listers, editors, and fnanciers in our
land. Besides this is the fact that the
number Of male teachers has but
slightly increased during the last ten
years, while female teachers have in
creased 80 per cent. In connection
with this, however, it must be men
toned that only one female teacher in
twenty holds frst-class certificate.
But this is matter that rests clearly
with the women themselves, except,
perhaps, in some rare cases where they
have been forced by circumstances to
begin the bread-and butter battle be-
fore they were fully qualified, and
where their time, aside from their du-
ties to their pupils, is occupied with
domestic or other obligations. Ordi-
narily. with the cheap books, free
libraries, and other facilities at her
command, any woman may educate her.
self up to the required standard while
giving the necessary five or six hours
daily to the labor Of teaching. There
is small excuse for ignorance or incom'
petence nowadays.