Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-06-13
VASSAR COLLEGE.
ITS TWENTY FIFTH ANNIVERSARY APPR0PRI-
ATELY CELEBRATED.
George William Curtis Delivers an Eloquent
AddreSs-A Generous Tribute 70 Woman
The Highest Promise Of American
Civilization

PoUGHKEEPsIE, y. Y; June l2.-Vas-
sar College was - years old to-day, and
the event was appropriately celebrated.
The students; hundreds of graduates,
and a host Of invited guests were pres
ent.
Mr.. George William Curtis, the orator
Of the occasion, made a long address. in
the course of which he said: There are
great names in the history OF New York,
names iluStrious from the character
and service of those who bore them.
names fondly familiar to those Of
fathers and leaders OF the State. but
among the most eminent OF such citi-
zenS whom the old English phrase de-
scribed as worthieS, eminent for the
significance and
VALUE or THEIR SERVICE
in sphere which has none of the ex-
citing glamor of military achievement
or political rcnown, are Ezra Cornell
and Matthew NaSSar.
81 challenge any lover Of MaSSachu-
sets, said the great patriot and scholar
at the centenary Of the battle Of Concord
and Lexington, TO read the j9th chap
ter of Bancroft's History without tears
Of 10y 1t Is the chapter which de-
Scribes the beginning of the Revolution.
With something of the same feeling ]
may say that challenge any lover OF
New York or Of the American character
to read the first communication OF
Matthew VasSar 10 the trustees of this
college without profound gratitude and
admiration. la his simple words, un-
consciously to himself. he speaks the
trucst spirit of his time and country.
1T occurred To me that woman. having
received from her Creator the same in
telectual constitution as man. has the
same right aS man 10 intellectual cult
ure and development. These words
MIGHT WELL BE CARVED
in gold over the entrance of NasSar Col
legc. The fundamental truth which
settles the controversy about the educa-
tion of women was never more COM
plctely and concluSively expressed, and
like all fundamental truths when once
adequately stated. it is simple and in
disputablc.
yet in that controversy, il he heed
ed it at all, Mr.. NaSSar had taken no
part. The conflict with tradition and
the logical consequences which his
involved, If they occurred to him, did
not trouble him. i considered, he said,
that the mothers of country mold the
character of its citizens.
DETERMINE ITS INSTITUTIONS
and shape its destiny. The duty and
the necessity of the thorough training
of all their faculties were therefore to
his mind unquestionable. If anybody
was anxious about the sphere of woman,
Mr.. NaSSar was not. Reason and OBJ
Scrvation had revealed il. As there
was no doubt that it was for the inter
est Of society that men should be thor
oughly trained morally, intellectually
and industrially, there could be no
doubt that snch training was equally
desirable for women, except upon the
theory which advanced civilization had
steadily adjurcd."
Mr.. Curtis then applaudcd the work
accomplished by the NaSSar College,
and after paying tribute to Margaret
Fuller concluded as follows: "Daugh-
ters of VaSsar, such is the woman, !
doubt not. whom Matthew NaSSar
vaguely foreSaw when
Ills GENEROUS lIEAlT
inspired him to his noble task. 1t is
the woman that as lofty ideal prcSides
over the StudiouS hours and quiet med
itations of those halls. 1t IS the woman
of the nineteenth century whom the
other centuries foretold. The old times,
indeed, were good, but the new times
are better. We have left woman as a
slave with Homer and Periclc>. We
have left her as foolish goddess with
Chivalry aud Don QuiXotc. We have
left her as a toy with Chesterfield and
the club; and in the enlightened Amer
lean daughter. wife and mother, in the
free American home, We find the faircst
flower and the highest promise Of Amer
lean civilization