Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1894-02-16

to witness the proofs that "the female
mind" could appreciate and apprehend
the solid studies of the college course.
She desired, in turn, to attend the ex-
amndtiOns of the young men. 10 learn
how they we're conducted. and to see
what attachments in scholarship were
made in college 1t is humilialing to
think that this privilege was re-
fused, President Davis considering that
it would not be safe precedent, and
thar it would be unbecomng in her To
attend. But let us not blame too severe
ly this stauuch defender of the proprie-
ties ; he was simply guarding weil-bred
society from terrible nervous shock.
"These were the rough ways OF the world
till now"
Mrs. Willard was for some time pre-
picked to find a suitable name for her
ideal institution. 1t would never do to
call it a 'coll' ge," for the proposal t.
send young ladies to college would ~
those days strike every one rs an absur-
dity. She has told US how she finally hit
upon suitable name. 81 heard Dr..
Merrill pray for our semlnarics of learn
ing | said | have i'll will call it a
female seminary. That word, while it
is high as the highest, is also low as the
lowest, and will not create a jealousy
that we mean to intrude upon the pro-
vince of the men" And so the word
came afterwards into general use to
designate the higher grade of school for
girls.
We cannot enter into any detailed dis
cussion of the 'plan." As it was finally
published in'lSlS. In many respects it
is open to criticism, if we Judge it by the
higher standards of the present. The
seveuty-fve years since passed have
seen wonderful changes in our ideas re-
garding woman's education and woman'S
work-thanks to the publication of this
same treatise. 1t is of the nature of Il
plea, and she is evidently cautious about
asking too much, for fear she may lose
all. Still, we must regard it as a Won
derful document-the Magma Charta
of the rights of woman in matters of
education.
1t was addressed to a State legislature {:
for Mrs. Willard rightly Judged that the
equipment of her ideal institution could
not be furnished by private means, and
that it could be properly managed and
perpetuated only by legal board of
trustees. Those were not the days of
large private fortunes, and still less of
princely donations to institutions of
public charity or of general education.
Mrs. Willard felt that her only recourse
WAS to secure the State patronage which
was at the disposal of patriotic law-mak-
ers. Of the reasons that led her to APP
ply to the Legislature of New York, of
her grlevous disappointment after many
years of patient effort and waiting, of
the brilliant success which she finally
achieved principally through her own
great personality, it is foreign to my
present purpose to speak. These things
are more clearly matters of history than
the obscure events of her early life in
Middlebury.
Let me simply add, in closing, that to-
day the spirit of her teachings has
thoroughly permeated the institutions
of the town where her great work origin
ated. The ladies' academy and the
boys grammar school are now thing'
of the past. But in the public higl
school and in the college the advantages
of liberal education are offered tC
young men and to young women on
equal terms. Thus, in Gods providence
do the wise and good build for those who
come after them.