New-York tribune., 1890-06-13
VASSAR ANNIVERSARY.
AN GRAFTON DELIVERED BY GEORGE
WILLIAM CURTIS
HISTORICAL ADDRESS BY BENSON ]. LOSING
THE PROGRESS OF EDUCATION FOR WOMEN.
rnY rEIEeHArH TO THE TRIBUNE.j

rBY rRLEeRArH TO rnE TRfBuNE.J
pouehNccpse. June 1e.-Although the celebration of
the twenty-fth anniversary Of the opening OF Vassa
College occurred to-day Of the students started
Tor homo after commencement yesterday, but severa
hundred OF the alumnae and Others remained TO par
tlclpate I'm the silver anniversary. At 10 30 a. M
today there were ZOO or l500 guests seated under
large tent on the campus waiting for the ceremonies 10
begin. A shower fell, but it was not enough 10 orlVe
the people from the tent At IL 80 spiendia Or
chestra from the New York Metropolitan Opera House
and New-York PhiihaTmonic Club opened the exeT
clses with music. On the speakers platform SAT
President James VI. Taylor. George William Curtis Dr
Benson J. Losing and DR.. Lathrop, president Oh te
Board Of Trustees. The trustees and faculty occupied
five Of benches in front Of the PLATFORM ana te
members Of the alumnae occupied seats on the left
Dr. Latrop president Of Board Of Trustees offered
PRAYER at the close of which President Taylor made
brief address of welcome and introduced Benson D.
LOSING the historian who read sketch OF the found
ing of vassar College. He first alluded TO the early
life and struggles of the founder Matthew Vassar ana
his gradual accumulation of fortune by industry and
saving. Being chdless, he naturally began TO con-
dcr what disposition he should make Of his fortune
and the honor Of first suggesting that 1t should be de
voted 10 the higher education Of women belongs to MS
ntpce Miss lydia Booth, who was the principal OF
young ladies' seminary in this city, The idea was re-
ceved favoraby and being strongly urged by the Rev.
Milo n Jewett who succeeded Miss Booth principal
of the seminary, and who confidential adviscr
of Mr.. yassar. it finally determined that this
should be the object of his effort and his wealth. ana
Mr.. Jewett made the first president.
Strongly attached to tho Baptists by lifelong asso-
caton he consulted educators and educated men
Of that denomination than any other. but when II was
proposed to place the college under the genera oo"o
OF Bapsts Mr. Vassar dissened and In his ADDRESS ae
the first meeting Of the trustees he said All sectiah
influence should be carefully avoided but the training
Of the young should be entrusted to the sceptca
the irreligious or the immoral" And this has ever
been the policy and the practice Of the managers.
In January, 1861, charter was obtained trom the
LEGISLATURE and the Goth Of February twenty
gentlemen, named in the charter as ncorporaors met
at the Gregory (now Morgan) House. in Poughkeepsie,
and were organized board of trustees of the in
choate institution. William Kelly, of Rhinebcck, was
elected chairman, Cyrus Swan secretary and Matthew
Vassar IT, treasurer and several standing committees
we're named. Only six of the first appointed trustees
are now living and only five Of them are members OF
the board.
At the Completion Of the organization Mr. Vassar
transferred to the possession Of the new corporation
q deed conveying 200 acres of land as college site
and farm and securities amounting in all to S4ooooo.
On the 4th of June, 1861, Mr.. Vassar broke ground
for the main building, designed by James Renwich'
architect. In June, 1865, the edhce oelhs aoou'
completed, president, faculty and instructors were
chosen. John H. Raymond was elected PRESIDENT
Hannah ". Lyman lady principal, and eght pro
NO~~
chosen Thus equipped the college work oegm sep
tember CO. 1865, with nearly $50 students.
The earnest desire Of the founder TO nave TINS re-
suit reached during his lifetime was thus grained
and he lived three years in the enjoyment OF tae sat
faction which his own benefcence produced 10 MS
first gift Of $400 900 he added an equal amount
by gifts while he lived and by testamentary pro
visions At the annual meeting OF the trustees III
June 1885, while reading his usual annual address
the manuscript fell nom his hands ana he oieo
almost In an instant. He was seventy-slX years Oh
age, and it seemed fitting place for the anger OF
death to receive his spirit for he was surrounoed oy
his chosen friends and helpers in his great work. IN
thu midst Of FULLY 300 Of his foster daughters, and
within the precincts Of the magnificent monument
which perpetuates his name
After singing by students. President Taylor in
troduced George William Curtis, the orator of the day
Mr.. Curtis said in part
Eighty years ago reviewing in "The Edinburgh " Mr.
Thomas Broadhursts advice Young Ladies the I'M
movement Of the Mind" title which might have de-
scrbsd the books read by the good young ladies'
in Miss Austens novels, Sydney Smith said that The I'M
anse disparity which existed between the knowledge Of
men and women Of rational defence because
said sensible canon mature has been as bounuui OF
understanding sex as the other" Whlle nc was
writing Mrs wlard-whose name should be always
held In honor at Vsssar and ae every similar INSTITUTION
an the vordwas improving the minds Of young ladies at
school Vermont and few years afterward founded
also upon OF the Hudson the Troy Female SEMI
conception Of academies at that day But the time
was ripe for Mrs. Willard it for Columbus and for
every OF civilization In the year after the open
ing Of the Troy Academy. Miss Catherine Beecher at
Hartford began higher school for young women and at
the same time Mary Lyon already teaching In New
Haropehire These schools showered the seed OF the
higher education OF all over the country ana Mary
Iyon cherished the hope OF school (which shoua DE 70
young women what a college is to young men, ana py
patient devotion and persistence she modesuy iouhoo a
last the Mount Holyoke Seminary
simultaneously with the opening OF the schoos OF mrs
willard and Beecher began the agitation Tor grs
high school In Boston part OF the pubic schooi
.vsten Of that city, With careful economy OF the city
resources girls been permitted to attend the public
schools when there were not boys enough 70
an them But a pressure for a more generous education
had arisen and such the persistent and un"omany
zeal for knowledge after prolonged debate OF three
years high school established The onset oil girls
bent upon higher education was overwhelming. Like
the astounded Mr.. Barnace In Little Dorrit the city
fathers were by persistent crowd that wanted
tn know YOU know. The situation became intolerabe
and In eighteen the Boston High School for Girls
WAS closed because there was so great multituoe oi
eager scholars.
About sixty wears ago then public opinion had fai
advanced ths, Oben College In Ohio chartered In
1884, and apparently the first collegiate diploma granted
q woman In this country at Oberlin In 1889 In
this college young and women were associated
In study. Obern the first institution to try The
experiment Of coeducaton Horace Mann, the American
apostle Of school education became president
Antioch College also In Ohio in 1858. and spoke of co
education there his great experiment In the previous
year Lombard University in Illinois chartered with
absolute equality OF It's privileges between the
II now the end Of quarter Of century from the
opening its doors the Founder as he naturally liked
be called should viby return and sitting here should
contemplate his and closely survey the record Of this
college regret his high resolve and wish that he
had given another fom His deliberate decision founded
this which the test Of the
with which he apprehended the drift Of the sentiment Of his
time and one Of its strongest combinations Was he
wrong in believing that the time had come for opening e
women the opportunity Of the highest education Vassa
asks Smith Wellesley and Bryn Mawr, Holyoke and
Barnard College, and all the opening college doors and
opening minds and faculties, The professional
schools for women felowshps and endowments ant
vanishing sophstres and pejudices, and the extending
empire OF common sense, all Even the good oC