Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-01-26
weller on TIE SEA.
HIGHER FEMALE EDUCATION.
4 Plea for Admission OF Women TO
the University.

. ~ AlAF A-4AAaA Va AAse AAssNoN-As
During the past twenty years much has
been said and written on the subject Of
education. and especially the higher edu-
cation OF women. And every ambitious
district school teacher who aspircs 70 be-
come leader OF public opinion ventilates
MS theones on the topic upon
every occasion. Ia the columns Of an IN
dulgent press. l do not pose as an ad-
vanced thinker or mogider Of thought
/ but tnuk the fitting time has come Tor
tne woman OF Virginia 10 MAKE an
earnest appeal Tor increased educational
T ana training facilities Tor their sex.
Mr. kuAuer, former superintendent OF
I Public Instruction, IN an article publish
ed IN the Virginia school Journal, MAKES
the assertion that the NUMBER or our
/ women vino desire really liberal educa-
ton Is very small" This opinion ~ q
popular faAacy. The desire Tor more
/ liberal education Is universal among our
/ women. but the utterance OF this desire
] IS often times repTessed by the knowledge
/ that it Is practically unattalnable under
I eEaUug circumstances, except ~ the
! favored few VINO can break their prison
/ bars and WING their fishi 70 institutions
outside our State. Nor does Mr. Runner
appreciate tie growth ana magnitude u
the work in which tie woman OK to-day
are engaged. They enter into every splere
/ OF lie, and pursue efficiently many aVo-
cations once considered the special pre-
negatives Of men. not unlrequently, when
allowed 20 compete with the sterlcr SIX,
bearing of the palm Of superiority. Daily,
the barriers so long erected against Wo-
men. are thrown down. and they enter
upon new fields OF labor and thought
L oil. Lead = lie ~ nNan-
I Lutte leisure. is very small when compared
with the multitude OF thoughtful, earnest
women. who form so largely the rank
and file In the worlds army Of busy
workers.
WHAT THE CAUSE?
What has brought about this change
IN the Oid-estabiishcd order Of things?
How has this mental activity been awak-
ened and how have women equipped
themselves for the battle Of lie? Tn
doubtedly. the public school system has
been a potent factor i, probably gave
the impulse 20 the movement but the
stimulus 70 sustain IL has been furnished
by such colleges as Nassar smith.
Weliesiy, and Bryn Mawr that yearly
send forth a small ARMY OF devoted edu-
Gators. who impress society with the
wealth and beuefcence OK their attain
ments IN science and literature. acquired
by years Of patient study, and they be-
come powers ia social life and s0ciol0Fi-
cal work. Schools OF technology. public De
braries and art schools. which are 20 be
found In all our great cities. are powerful
educators. but these Institutions are the
outgrowth Of concentrated wealth and
population, % which. through the yiclssi-
tudes OF war and other causes. we have
not attained. But with the rapid strides
our Southland Is making We hope such
advantages may soon be ours also. The
influence OF Cooper Institute New York.
Maryland Institute. Baltimore. and the
schools OF art and music 70 be found in
all our large cities can be hardly be
estimated. It has been my good fortune
&c be thrown On contact 20 a considerable
extent with the triCht-faced earnest
band of students who throng these in-
situations in order 20 pursue some spe-
cial course Of study. and I have had many
prejudices. engendered by early environ
ment. removed in the sunny atmosphere
and br0oer life in which I found myself.
I have followed the career OF many Of
these enthusiastic and attractive young
women. who. upon leaving their college
walls. did not tread tho frivolous rounds
Of pleasure but became. by the devei-
opment OF their artistic talents. the stay
and support Of their parents and the
NAA-No gnu NallAl a.'I..r VI AlA-AA NAV-AlfA1s
WILL NOT INTERFERE.
The emotions natural 10 youth are not
suppressed or b.unted by this course OF
llfe The young are, and always VIII be,
trimming over with animal spirits. and
will naturally turn to amussments 10
relax any undue strain upon their facul-
ties. They viii enjoy with greater Zest
these recreations II INDUCED I'm only a.
interudes between the moge serious acts
10 the drama Of life. and will return 10
their labor exhiiaatei and refreshed. as
their brothers do from their games Of
football and rOWing-matches. 7 fear
however, that az an evening party OF
these young people, though they might be
clothed On garments constructed on
rational principles" their chitchat would
fan below the serious standard Mr. RUIZ
ner admiree Inconsequent chatter and
merry laughter are inseparable adiuncts
10 youth. and are as charming % my
ears as the innocent babble Of children.
They pass all too soon, Ike the froth
that feeks the wavelets tapping on the
snG-e disappears as we sail out upon the
greet ocean.
ONLY N STATE INSTITUTIONS.
Few private institutions have sufficient
income 70 provide efficient Libraries or
carry on laboratories for pupils desiring
70 study some special branch OF science.
These aids are 10 be found only 10 our
state Institutions, and are only open
20 our young men. Why should not the
higher education OF our women be- the
affair OF the State as WELFARE Virginla's
daughters .ess dear 70 her than her sons?
/ am not sufficiently advanced IN my
ideaxt favor coeducation without re-
serve but why should not our colleges
and universities be provided with an
nexes, where our young women could
enjoy the same training and upon the
same terms as our young men? An alb
soroing passion Is not accorded every
woman, and n minor interests and pur-
suits were more attainable. We would
see Tar less OF that spirit OK restlessness
ana discomfort so prevalent among the
young. Unhappy marriages would not
be so common, and our Young women
would not so frequently, simply 70 escape
the ennui or use ess, aimiess lives. desc
crate the holy estate" which, % be har-
monlous. must be entered into BY those
OF sympathetic tastes and pursuits. and
soDeily, discreetly. and IN the fear OF
God. Incorporate In the plans for r.
storing our beloved University a wOman's
annex, and I venture 20 assert that srcb
a stimulus viii be given to the libersiifv
or our people that her ruined walls viii
be raised as II by magic in far more than
their pristine grandeur, and the solution
Or Mr.. Rufners problem. How shall
the masses Of our girls be Inspired wi,h a
true spirit OF learning" be reached such
numbers would flock 10 these annexes that
these would, IN my opinion. become
quickly se.f-suDp0rting. and Mr. Runner
be forced 10 believe that there are
multitude OF Virginia women who believe