Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-09-25
UTOPIA FOR GIRL GRADUATES.


CtOPiA FOR GIRL GRADUATES
Sir 1h>~aas Mcre's Prophecy Has Come 20
Pass In America.
Sir Thomas More published his IA
nous Utopia" in 1916. 1t was an &C.
count of an imaginary commonwealth
on the island of Utopia. formed from
two Greek words, meaning nowhere. +"
A companion of Americas Vespucius
was said 10 have discovered this island,
where perfect state of society existed.
and TO have narrated the story to good
Sir Thomas. 4 system of government
prevailed SO very like that advocated
by the Nationalist that it is surprising
none Of the bypercritics of the day have
thought of charging Bethany with
plagiarizing from Utopia
But the widest and most utopian of
all the schemes adopted by this famous
commonwealth and which called cut
Unreasonable laughter and ridicule
from all Europe, was that relating to
the education of girls, for in Utopia
as extensive and liberal an education
was given to girls As to boys. and moth
ing was lacking TO develop in them a
IL.
Thomas More defended the Utopians in
their astounding departure from the
custom Of those times and replied to
those who attacked him and them that
IF the reproaches cast on the female
understanding were sound they would
but afford so many additional reasons
for bestowing Oh it all possible cultiva-
ton.
Only go years ago! And now we see
that Sir Thomas More was a prophet,
and. as far as the education of girls is
concerned, that Utopia has come TO
pass in America Never were the girl
graduates from seminaries, fitting
schools. normal schools and colleges so
numerous as this year The papers in
form us that more women are seeking
admission to colleges than the colleges
have room for" The secretary of the
New York State university reports %, :
$50 girls and is, 2l3 boys in the semi
naries and academies of the state of New
York, the former being 56 per cen. of
the whole.
OF honor credentials, the girls re-
ceived this year 29s 10 40 granted to
the boys-a proportion Of GS per cont
for the girls. The number Of girls
who entered college last year from re-
gents schools was 81 per cent greater
than the year before, and this year Will
show a similar increase AT this rate. -
says the secretary, lit looks as if early
in the next century the colleges would
graduate more women than men, Just
as the academies do now
recently met the dean Of the won,-
ems college OF Brown university and
learned that the nine women students
with whom the college opened three
years ago had increased this year to %.
A larger increase is expected next year,
but how TO accommodate these earnest
and well fitted students is q problem
that taxes the university seriously The
financial distress of the country has &C.
layed the erection OF buildings for their
occupancy, but they cannot be much
longer dispensed with. The dean spoke
in terms of commentator of the worn
en- students, who are welcomed by he
faculty, the young men of the unlyer-
sitv and all others concerned Their ad-
mission was popular movement from
the start. and the women Of the Provi-
Gence club promptly manifested their
interest by taking measures to found
scholarships for the assistance Of needy
women students Among the graduates
this year was Miss Mary Woolley. once
treasurer of the New England Whoa
ton Seminary club, who has received
much communication from the college
faculty and was graduated with high
honors. She had taken exceptionally
high rank as teacher before she enter.
ed the university.
How little while ago il seems since
Dr.. E H. Clarke published his book.
Sex In Educationr' With what pom
derous solemnity he iterated and reiter-
ated that the higher education of wovl-
en.meant their physical and domestic
ruin! And now what rubbish the book
isl-Mary A. Livermore