The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-05-21
THE COLLEGE ALUMNE.
SOMETHING ABOUT A UNIQUE So
GETTY OF WOMEN.

Girl Graduates of Fourteen Colleges
Who Keep Up Educational Work
Some Things They Have Done and
Propose Doing - What Becomes of
the Women Who Go Through the
Schools.
Copyright, 1851
New YoRK, May 10.-The Association
of Collegiate Alumnas is the guest of We'll
lesley College to-day. The New York
branch of the association held its spring
meeting in Now York last week. There are
Washington ana Philadelphia and Boston
and Baltimore branches which meet quar-
terly throughout tho year, There is a Pacific
coast branch which is closely affiliated
with the parent body.
And who or what are tho Collegiate
Alumnasi
The organization which goes by that
name is body of women graduates from
American colleges, the nearest TO II repre-
sentative body, indeed, of such graduates in
the country. 1t has members living in all
but five of the States and in six of the Ter
ritories. The membership is not far short
of 1000 and is growing rapidly. 1t com
prseS graduates from fourteen aSsocia ted
universities and colleges. Tho society is
six years old, aud probably few organiza-
tions so novel in their aims and methods
have lasted as long, fewer still have found
their strength SO constantly increasing.
The association was formed in 1882, Ober-
lin, Vassar. Smith and Wellesley Colleges,
ana Cornell, Michigan, Wisconsin and
Boston Universities being represented
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology,
Wesleyan, Kansas, Syracuse and North
western Universities, and the University
of California have been added to tho list
since. The co-educational schools are in
majority over women's colleges pure and
simple, the proportion standing eleven TO
three. Vassar, on the other hand, has more
members than are set down from any one
other school.
And what manner Of women would
stranger take these types of the higher
education to be3
Ho would say they were a fine-looking
body of women if he Wore to see them to-
day They average 20 years old probably,
though the fluffy bang of u pretty girl of
% dances alongside the sweet peaceful face
of Lucy Stone, the woman suffrage leader,
who belongs to the class of lS47 of Oberin.
Take them together, they are above the
average as to personal attractions, but the
noticeable point is they carry themselves
uncommonly we'll They show the effect of
calisthenic training in the splendid posi-
tions of heads and shoulders, and in the
freedom aud grace of motion. They swing
out from the hip and step squarely on their
feet when they walk, and whether gloved
or ungloved they know just what to do
with their hands They are healthily do
veloped women, whose strong, 1.-THE figures,
bright eyes and fresh color would discon-
cert the people who imagine that over-edu-
cation is undermining the constitutions of
American girls. They dress very simply,
if you care about the gowns, with little Jew
elIy or none at all, but their butterfly bon
nets and pretty gloves are Enthusiastically
refined They are happy looking and that
is their greatest charm. Their laughing
voices ring out In merry competition with
the robin redbreastS, their faces are CHEEKY
as the sunshine, clear as the May sky, their
manner buoyant with a sense of the new
possibilitiel of womanhood, unfolding like
the new green on the maple trees.
But what are they doing and what OBJ
ject can such society Of LOCO women
have2
The constitution Of the Collegiate Alum
nB says that the work of the organization
''shall be to unto the alumnn of different
institutions for practical educational work.
Any woman who has received degree in
| arts, philosophy sience or literature from
any college, university or scie ntific school,
admitted to The association, is entitled to
membership. New institutions shall DO ad-
united on u three-fourths VOTE" etc. All
of which means that although wish for
thorough organization has caused a num-
Der of applications for membership from
different colleges to be laid on the table
within tho past year or two, there is a fair
probability that in the not distant future
The greater number of schools admitting
women whose degrees are entitled TO respect
will be united in an organization, the mem
bers of which will comprise the great body
Of the college-bred women of the country
which again will mean a society of women
some thousands strong and growing
stronger yearly, held together by a COM
mon interest in the higher education of
women.
One Of the first enterprises entered into
by the Collegiate Alumng and the one by
which they are still best known was the
collection of the health statistics of women
college graduates, gathered three years ago
and colated by the Massachusetts, Bureau
of Statistics Of Labor, which was the first
and remains the only attempt TO answer
practically by facts and figures the ques-
| ton whether modern methods of education
are or are not running the health of future
mothers of the country. The college grad
yates, feeling that their own concern in
| their own health was deeper than that Of
any one else cOulu Db, u Settles VI
forty questions relating to health conditions
| in childhood, in college and since gradua-
| ton TO graduates of twelve colleges then
| comprised in the membership of the asso-
| citation. Answers received from 705 col
lege women showed that 80 per cent. had
| enioyed fair health since leaving school,
while only so per cent. had been in fair
| health before entering school, giving a
| clear gain instead of loss as the result OF
college training, and showing a consider.
| able Improvement over tho health Of the
| average woman as compared with statistics
prepared by Dr. Mary Putnam jacob, who
| found only So per cent. OF housewives IN
good health, while ~ per cent. Of college
women called their health excellent" OF
good"
Not content with first test, the Alumna
| have now under way more careful in
| yestigation in somewhat similar line
which may not yield any sensational re
suits for the next four or five years, but
which is laid on n broad basis and indicates
the really practical turn Of these college
| girls The answers received from the 7Ui
women who replied to the Health Statistics
circulars, indicated that the physical anc
| social conditions under which school girl
work before reaching the age Of II or II
| might have more TO do with their health III
college or in married life than any condi
tions of study under the regular regimen
imposed on the young woman in any higher
| institute of learning, where it IL usually
impossible to transgress the ordinary rules
of well being as to eating, sleeping and SO
| II 1t.as.. sp tpb faEhfnn 81