Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1893-01-27
WOMEN IN THE PROFESSIONS

Al its annual commencement next June
the Johns Hopkins University will bestow
the first degree il has ever allowed to any
woman This degree lie that Of doctor of
philosophy highest honor in the gift of
the univcrsiiy-and the fortunate recipient
Of il will be Miss Florence Bascom, of Viii.
Jamestown, Mass, who has been pursuing
graduate studies in geology for the past two
years
1t s not so very long ago that the posi-
Bile advent of women 10 the learned pro-
LESSONS was regarded as visionary propo.
sition, scarcely worth the serious considera.
ton OF the people who, a. matter of ethics,
were steadily opposed to such an innova
ton. Within the memory of people whose
hair is not yet very gray a regularly quail
fled female doctor OF philosophy, female
physician. a woman lawyer, newspaper
woman, were literally unheard Of A few
female preachers had assembled the pulpit,
borrowing courage, it may be, rom the
good old Quaker practice permitting women
ITO speak in meeting" when "the spirit
moved" but these modern ladies who boldly
entered the pulpit on the same plane as
men, claiming an equal right to appoint
ments and salaries and preferment, were
never viewed in very partial light.
To-day there is scarcely calling or pro.
iession OF dignity in our country that women
are not free 10 enter. and in which one or
more members of the sex have not already
scored successes. Literature, art, medicine,
law, science 10 all its branches. are a fiutter
with petticoats The predictions made by
old iogies who would fain have stayed this
tide Of feminine advancement have all fallen
TO the ground. The revolution has been a
bloodess one. neither men nor women have
been unsexed by II, and in many instances
woman's wit, her more delicate perceptions
and her very personality have made be, a
welcome coadjutor. Especially Is his the case
in medical practice, 10 certain lines of ad
vanced teaching and perhaps 1t may be
added 10 some exceptionabe cases in news
paper work.
II the professional women Of our country
were asked to recall the greatest problem
that they have hid To master curious fact
would appear. 1t would not be the intel
ieciual prep alton involved, although the
most OF them have studied very hard,
nor the labor consequent, although they are
as u rule diligent and industrious Nine gu,
Of ten would declare that their greatest EN-
barassment has been in framing the Ell.
qnette OF their positions, Tor there is yet no
social code TO determine the precise social
duties and relations Of those who follow a
vocation which places them side by side
with men. TO pattern after the example Of
the men, To chat easily stories 10 idle hours.
10 smoke, to drink, or to step out TO restsn.
rants with them, would be improper and
scandalOus 10 the last degree.
TIE masculine woman who enters into
rough comradeship with men or is ever on
the aggressive or defensive. may achieve no.
ioriely and have a certain following, but
her position is not an enyiabe one. She
who goes quietly and bravely about her
work, who meets distrust or unkind remark
with faithful snd diligeni service, who is
digniiied and self respecting. without being
aggressive. tactiul without familiarity. wise
without preiension, feminine without iriv. |
olity, and who, above all, manIfests kind |
disposition towards members Of Der own |
sex, will rest on solid foundations and do |
much to level prejudice against those will |
come alter her. These are the women who
to-day are coming TO the front honored, re
spected and loved BY every one.