The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-05-27
LADY GRADUATES.
Meeting of the Collegiate Alum.
rae Association.
The Social Arrangements for Girls in Co
educational Colleges" Discussed.
Conclusions Arrived At.

a. wa laSt quarterly meeting OF Tie racine
branch OF the Collegiate AlumBa the snb-
Ject taken up for discussion was Social
Arrangements for Girls in Coeducational
Colleges" Letters from the authorities of
the different colleges admitted to the asso-
citation were read describing the method fol-
lowed in each, with its workings, and act
ing PRESIDENT Kellogg was present by invi-
tatlon to give the report as to Berkeley.
These reports were followed by remarks
from graduates present on the merits OF the
method as seen from the woman's own
point of view. Mrs. S. J. Brun spoke for
Cornell, Miss Gertrude Mason for Michi-
gan, DR.. Lois Nelson for Wisconsin, Mrs.
w. &. Raymond for Kansas, Miss May b.
Treat for California.
1t was learned that three general meth
DDS exls tea in American coeducatiOnal uni
Versitles: that represented in the three sec
tons of the country by Boston, Michigan
and California universities, especially in
which the students either live at home or
find board in private families that of dormi-
tories, combined With great personal free
dom, OF which the most conspicuous rep
resentative is Cornell, and that of dormltor-
les under regulation approaching that oil
seminary, maintained by Oberlin.
TESTIMONY ON THE SUBJECT.
The testimony of the writers and speakers
was almost uniformly that the system,
whichever it was, to which each one was
accustomed, worked welP' and was proba-
bly, the best. The one marked exception
was IN the letter of the accomplished woman
(herSeH a graduate holding two degreeS) In
charge of one of the dormitores, who wrote
that her observations, both as student and
In her present position, led her to believe
1t unnecessary and unwiSe to urge col
legeS TO provide homes and special social
advantages" for women students. III All
institution is so located that ii lack OF Sulta-
BILE bOarding-placeS requires the provision
OF dOrnltOrleS for the young men 1t would
be necessary to provide homes for the young
women. But aside from this necessity L
think that our experience here goes 10 prove
that young women, as well as young meD,
can be better controlled by the pressure
which can be brought 10 bear through their
work than by any system of surveillance.
DRIFT OF THE LETTERS.
The drift of the letters may be shown by
a few extracts. The first is from letter OF
Miss Marion Talbot, Trustee of Boston
University, President of the Trustees OF
the Harvard Annex, A. b. and A. M. If
Boston University and S. B. OF the Massa-
chusetts Institute of Technology:
They Lthe girls OF Boston University and the
Institute Of echnOlogyl come and go just as
they please, fud their own boarding places. and
My experience conyinccs me that our women
students, dependent on their own sense OF dig
ny honor aud womanllness, make far fewer
real mistakes consciously and unconsclousiy
than our city society gtIlS dc deliberately, and
in spite of the cOnyentIOnalllies which are sup.
posed 10 protect them.
From President Adams or Cornell:
Many notifications have been introduced Into
Sage College The most important of these Is
the employment OF a principal, whose duty II Is
10 act as guide, philosopher and friend OF The
young ladies. 9 She Is held responsible by
tue Trustees for the carrying out of the simple
rules OF the house. In matters OF social
life outside of the house Mrs. Hooker also stands
In loco parents, and every Inmate OF the house
is required 10 inform her of any engagement that
may be made. We are of the opinion that this
custom works very admirably, aud that the So
cial abilities OF Tie young ladies' IN this way are
sufficiently developed.
THE oBERLIN PLAN.
From President Fairchild of ObeTiin
from published article sent in place Of a
letter.:
While we have no special ladies' department so
far as PERTAINS 10 classes and courses Of study,
we nave always bad 1t so far as the general
discipline and order Of the school are concerned.
Ia this view we have had from the beginning
lady principal. whose specially has been The
duty OF guardianship of the young women.
Associated with the principal has been, since
1886, Ladies' Board OF Managers" to
when is committed the charge Of HE yUnng ladies
in matters OF general order and discipline. No
young woman ever appears before ihe
general faculty IN any matter OF discipline. 1he
gathering OF the young women Tor what Is called
general exercise" affords opportunity for advice
aud suggestion appropriate 10 their conditions
We ask our young women to be III their rooms
al 80 or O'Clock Ia the evening, while we
permit the young men 10 be out untll TO- IL
this iequirem MI would be regarded on every
hand as treating the young men children,
while no such impression Is made 10 the case OF
young women. In general, We have little or no
Testyeness on the subject. Ii is obvious to one
who thinks tor a moment that rules, TO be i'm
The (OppOslIe) system is said to work well but
II is difficult 10 see any reason why 1t should.
CONCLUSIONS REACHED.
In the discussion that followed, no one
was found in favor of the 0berin view,
but no graduate of Oberlin was present
The general feeling was that Cornell was
tending too far toward the Oberlin method.
AS between the dOrmitory system, es-
peeially in the cottage form, and with the
minimum of restriction and the method of
private boarding, opinion was more divided
and many interesting points were made.
No attempt was made TO reach any conclu-
sion or agree upon any expression of the
association as whole; but the unanimous
feeling was that 1t is very desirable that
college undergraduates, men and women
alike. should have the acquaintance and
influence of mature women of ripe culture
and scholarly distinction, who should reDre-
sent TO them cultivated wOmanhOod as posi-
lively as their professors represent cuiti-
waited manhood.
COf the several members of the faculty and
Board Of Regents present one expressed
himself in favor of the dCrmtory system,
both for men and women. as necessary TO
producing an ennobling college life. =" and
creating good manners and public spirit by
attritiOn another thought no change called
for except the provision Of more and better
accommodations in Berkeley; and third
thought such matters out of the jurisdiction
of the University All expressed themselves
warmly as to the conduct and qualities of
the young women of the University under
the present system.
A social hour gave the graduates of East
eTn colleges an opportunity TO know the
representatives, of the University, and many
hopes were expressed that acquaintance and
mutual services between the association and
the University ght continue aud increase.