The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1889-07-27

tachments have ever grown up be-
tween the students of the two sexes
The best scholars are almost with
out exception men; but there is a
far larger proportion Of young wo-
men than of young men who become
good scholars. OF course a college
or university does not have to en-
counter the danger of taking board
ing school girls. Women who give
up the best four years oflife to study
are women of strong purpose and
aim, and are the least likely of all
women TO throw themselves away. l
am not at all fanatical about the
matter; have never cared to be an
apostle of co-education; but / be-
lieved in it at the beginning, and
believe in it still more now that we
have given it thorough trial. | re-
main very truly yours,
ANDREW ID. WHITE.
The second letter says: Referring
to your letter of October %, regard
the "annex" for women in our col
lleges as a mere makeshift and step
in the progress toward the full ad
mission of women to all college
classes, and / think that this is a
very general view among men who
have given unprecedented thought
to the subject. Having now gone
through one more year, making II
in all, since women were admitted, |
do not hesitate to say that ! believe
their presence here good for us in
every respect. There has been no
scandal of any sort, and no trouble.
The young women continue to be
those who have distinct purpose in
taking university course, and not
merely careless "boarding school
girls" While they are not general
ly the very best students we have,
their general average is higher than
that of the young men, and ! cannot
remember among all that we have
had here a single lady student whose
record could be considered as indica-
ting idleness in the slightest degree.
AS to the relations between the sexes
they give us no uneasiness. AS to
President Gilman, my impression is
that in his heart he believes in the
system; but the Baltimore atmos-
phere is very conservative and it
will take some time yet for men there
to arrive at the true view of this
question. That it is sure to come
have not any doubt, especially since
we have seen the great English uni
versities throwing open their degrees
freely to young women. | remain re-
spectfully and truly yours,
ANDREW ID. WHITE.
The next is from Professor Moses
Coyt Tyler, whose name is known
where English literature is known:
CORNELL UNIVERSITY, DEPARTMENT.
OF UNIVERSAL History,
ITHIcA, n. Y, Sept. 80, 1884
President Cutter.
DEAR SIR was connected with
the University of Michigan before
the advent of women there; was pres
ent during the process of her intro
duction; for several years afterward
watched the results, and am now en-
tering upon my fourth year here, at
CO. educational University. And
now after all these years, upon my
word, / cannot recall a fact which
furnishes single objection to the
system, while the real utility, con-
venience and wholesomeness of it
have so long been before my eyes
that am startled by your letter, as
implying that anybody still has any
doubt about it. The presence of la
dies in our lectures and recita
tions seems as natural and as normal
as their presence at church, at a
lyceum lecture, or on the way to the
postoffice. | do not know member
of the faculty, either at Michigan or
here, who would now favor a return
to the old plan. although before the
adoption of the new one many were
anxiously opposed to it. My obser
walton has been that under the joint
system the tone of college life has
grown more earnest, more courteous
and refined, less flippant and cyni-
cal. The women are usually among
the very best scholars and lead in
stead of drag, and their lapses from
good health are rather, yes, decided
ly, less numerous than those alleged
by the men. There is q sort of
young man who thinks it not quite
the thing, you know, to be in a col
lege where woman are; and he goes
away, if he can, and | am glad to
have Linn do so. The vacuum he
causes is not large one, and his de-
parture is more than made up by the
arrival in his stead of more robust
and manlier sort.
MOSES Corr TYLER
The next is from James B. Angel,
President of the Michigan Univer-
sity.
Women were admitted here under
the pressure of public sentiment
against the wishes of most of the
professors. But think no professor
now regrets it or would favor the
exclusion of women. The way had
been we'll prepared. Denominational
colleges had for years admitted wom
en-, and in the high schools, which
are our preparatory schools, it was
the universal custom to teach both
sexes. Most of the evils feared by
those who opposed the admission of
women were not encountered. We
made no solitary modification of our
rules or requirments. The women
did not become hoydenish, they did
not fail in their studies; they did
not break down in health; they have
graduated in all departments; they
have not been inferior in scholar
ship to the men. We count the eX-
pertinent here successful. But we
have not been disposed to dogmatize
for other colleges. can imagine
circumstances in which it would not
be wise or necessary for colleges to
admit women. / do not expect that
the great majority of women who re-
ceiye advanced education will re-
ceive it at colleges originally found
ed for men. But somewhere they
should have as good opportunities
as men for receiving the largest cul
| ~, mt Of