The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-08-14
FOR AND AGAINST.
5%ncerning Some Of the Objections
Raised TO College Training
For Girls.

The world seems of late touched
with the mania OF gathering informa-
ion by means of questions on all
hammer of topics addressed to all
manner of people. As a way of reach
,ng average opinion the postal exami-
lation system has merits, though so
many addressed have no opinions, or
40 time to write them, that IL is, after
Ill, only a minority report which Is
thus made up.
But a recent trial OF it has proved
interesting as showing the average OBJ
jections to college training for girls.
70 the sweet girl graduate of high,
normal and private schools in a large
Eastern city our questions were adj
dressed. They were asked If they
would life to go to college, If they
meant to go, and If not, why not; and
finally what objections they had heard
urged against such training. Seventy
seven answered, and of these, sixteen
had no desire 70 20, sixteen meant to
go, and the rest would like to, but
could not-chiefiy for lack Of money.
A few were unwilling to postpone so
long their entrance into society; and
one. a normal graduate, was of opin-
ion that though she might know more
after four years at college, she would
be no better fitted ro teach.
But it is the to the last
question which are most instructive,
as showing the prejudices still ruling
the average mind. The chief OBJ
jections urged are: college training
Is unnecessary; rome need to learn
only household duties. They soon
forget all they learn, have no use for
it in after life, do not remain single
long enough to profit by it. 1t is use
full only t % those who have to support
themselves or who enter a profession.
It makes women masculine, causes
loss OF pretty, lady-like ways; makes
them strong-Ininded, vain, independ-
ent, disagreeable, dissatisfied with
home life, Injuries the health, units
them to be economical wives, destroys
the maternal instinct and hinders
them from marrying"
Now it may be useful to note how
entirely the social fallacy underlies
most OF these objections. Substitute
men" for women" in them and more
than half of them become absurd.
But is education one thing for men
and another thing for women2 Pre-
cisely, answers society. A mans edu-
cation is for his individual profit in
knowledge and character, society
gaining in turn from his gains. A
woman's training is for the good of
the home; she cannot be considered
apart from her special mission as
mother and homemaker. In that
case, our homes are still, in the main,
4 A il y 49,.
numbers of people who think a col
lege training a mistake; who oppose
it equally for boys and girls,
urging, with siignt Yaria-
lions, these same objections.
This is at least consistency if it is
not good sense. But the people who
believe in it for the average boy,
should show cause why the average
girl may not equally profit by it; why
only the exceptional girl who means
to teach or take a profession should
be given it. The question, indeed,
resolves itself into tnis:-Has a wo-
man a right to life on her own ac-
count? If so, then the good of socie-
tv will give to her, as to her brother.
the broadest development, and trust
to profit indirectly by her culture as
IL AOCS Oy liz LIZ A1OAtf A0 $780,
A late writer in a magazine, like
these ~obiectors, lays the blame OF de-
Ginning marriage on college training
and the selfish ambitions" it fosters.
And, always with the good of society
IN view. he recommends, as
a cure, earlier marriages.
Let the girl be trained in
household arts so that the youth can
afford to marry, and then let her be
given home and children to absorb
her energies and the selfish ambi-
tions,n which it is so wrong for her to
cherish, will wither. But 1T is pre-
cisely the best mothers OF today, the
most intelligent and conscientious,
who mourn over their intellectual de-
ficiencies, their imperfect, old-time
training, because they feel these de-
ficiencies with their children. They
form classes and literary clubs, be-
cause-''I want to know something
for my boys sake-my girls" If the
younger ONE want knowledge for
their own sakes, it is, perhaps, be-
cause this reason has not yet come
into their lives.
Let us be rid of the idea that a col
lege training is only for teachers. The
boy goes, not because he is to be
teacher or lawyer, but because it is
the best education of a gentleman.
Until his sister goes for like reason,
because it is the best culture of a
lady, we are still in the backwoods.
Let us be rid, too. of the fancy that
the higher education is, in some
vague way, inimical to marriage and
the common lot. If there is comfort
in statistics, they show that college
only a little later. Statistics Iona
since disproved the injury to