The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-08-13
uroPIA FoR eIRL eRApuATEs.
Sir Thomas axore's Prophecy Has Come {
Pass In Amerlca.


nous stUtopia'' in 1915. Tt 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 to have discovered this island,
where a perfect state Of society existed,
and to have narrated the story to good
Sir Thomas. "A system Of government
prevailed SO very ike that advocated
by the Nationalist that it Is surprising
none of the bypercritics of the day have
thought OF charging Bellamy with
p1agiarizing from Utopia "
But the widest and most utopian Of
all the schemes adopted by this famous
commonwealth, and which called out
irnmeasurable 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
noble and sy numerical WOmanhoOd- Sir
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
Elf the reprOaches cast on the female
understanding were sound they would
but afford SO many additional reasons
for bestowing on it all possible cultlva-
ton
Only $40 years agol 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 %,
556 girls and IS, 243 boys III the semi
naries and academies of the state of New
York, the former being Sc per cent of
the whole
Of honor credentials, the girls re-
ceived this year 298 to 40 granted to
the boys=a proportion Of 68 per cent
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 SINH ar increase. 'FAt this rate, -
says the secretary, it 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 wom-
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 73.
A larger increase Is expected next year,
but how to accommodate these earnest
and well fitted students is a problem
that taxes the university seriously The
financial distress Of the country has de-
layed the erection of buildings for their
occupancy, but they cannot be much
longer dispensed with. The dean spoke
in terms Of COMMUNICATION of the WOm-
en- students, who are welcomed by the
faculty, the young men Of the univer-
sity and all others concerned Their adj
mission was a popular movement from
the start, and the women Of the PrOvi-
dence 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 WooIley. once
treasurer of the New England Whea-
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 a teacher before she enter
ed the university
How little while ago it seems since
DR.. E. H Clarke published his book,
stSex In EducatiOnl' With what pom
derous solemnity he iterated and reiter-
ated til. t the higher education Of wom-
en- meant their physical and domestic
ruinl And now what rubbish the book
isl-Mary A. Livermore.