The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-30
NEW MOVE OF WABASH.
President Burroughs Talks of CO-Or-
dinate Education Plan.

DR.. George S. Burroughs, president of
Wabash College, was in the city yesterday
attending the meetings Of the College Asso-
citation and Teachers Association. He is
bit enthusiastic about the plan Of co~or-
dinate education adopted at Wabash, and
in talking of it to a Journal reporter at
the Denison House last evening said:
Each institution has its individual char
acter. BY. this it attracts to itself those
who desire what it offers, and finds it's place
in the general educational system. Wabash
College has been unique in Offering TO young
men an education of the highest standard,
fitting them for useful service in the sew
eral professions and in social and public
life. For some time there has been a grow
ing sentiment among many of the alumni
education of women should be recognized
in connection with the work which has been
so ably done for men; This sentiment gave
presentation to the board of trustees at its
late meeting of a petition asking that the
college be opened to young. women by
coordinate or a co-educational plan as
might seem best in the judgment of the
board Careful inquiry disclosed the tact
ers preferred the coordinate plan to that
of simple cOeducation.
1.-THE sentiment of the board has never
been opposed to the higher education of
women, but it has been their judgment that
the other institutions of higher education
in the State being coeducational, 1t was
Wabash and also for those of education at
large that the college should remain an
institution for men. A carefuI canvass OF
the situation in the late board meeting
disclosed the fact that a plan for co-ordi-
nate education for women which would
leave Wabash for the future a college for
young men, but att the same time AFFORD
an education of equally high standard for
young women, was both feasible, and, IN
view Of all existing circumstances 80 exceed vOn
women from Illinois, Indiana ard Ohio are
enrolled students in Wellesley, Smith
and other womens colleges of the East
1t seems evident that these represent a
constituency which is not entirely satisfied
with unrestricted coeducation, believing
that In certain respects womens education,
While equally high in character, should diff
fer from that offered to men. Doubtless
this constituency also believes in the pro-
viding of certain home comforts and sur
roundings of culture as a part of woman s
education. Noting the enrolment in these
women's colleges of the East, 1t seems evil
lion of dollars is annually expended for the
education of young women from Indiana,
Ohio and Illinois. Already these Eastern
colleges for women are becoming over
crowded so that opportunities for personal
contact with teachers and the deVelopment
of individual character are being lost. 1t
cannot be possible that during the next
quarter of century our young women will
continue to go to these Eastern schools in
son why facilities of equal character and
value should not be provided nearer home
and at much less expense Wabash College,
with it's fine plant and equip
ment and thoroughly trained facul-
~, having remained UNCONVENTIONAL up
to the present would seem properly to be
the institution to inaugurate a movement
for womenS education of the character de-
scribed in the north central States 1t is
believed that coordinate education, such
in general as exists at Barnard College in
connection with Columbia, and at Radcliffe
in connection with Harvard, modified wise
ly so as to adapt it to the environment of
Indiana and surrounding States, would
meet an existing demand at the present
and one that is sure to increase in the flu
ture.
'The plan proposed for coordinate edu-
cation at Charlottesville seems to meet
the feelings and sentiments of all interest
ed. 1t preserves the traditions and spirit
of Wabash as a college for men; 1t estab-
fishes a coordinate college for women of
high standard Offering an education pecu-
liarly adapted to women's needs and sur
rounded with the comfort of cultured
home. 1t is designed that this college should
not be under any UNCONVENTIONAL control,
as is the case with Wabash. but that sew
eral denominations should be represented
in its board. The professors of Wabash
can give their valuable services to the in