The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-04
COLLEGE WOMEN OFFENDED
THEr RESENT THE REV DIR. DoNALD'S
REMARKS CONCERNING THEM.

The Boston Clergyman Had Said Tint He
Personally Disliked Womcn's Colleges,
Which Made Women Bluestockings
and Apart from the Rest of Society.
The Rev. DR.. L. westchester Donald. for
merly rector OF Ascension Church hero and
| now rector OF Trinity. Phillips Brookss old
church In Boston. has created stir among
Boston women by expressing an unfarorable
ouinlon Of the work Of women's colleges In
addressing n meeting In the interest OF the
Abbott Academy at Andover. he said:
Il want to say one thing in favor OF this
movement and that is that personally do not
like women's colleges. The moment q wo-
man becomes erudite. as she does after the
average college course. she becomes a blue
stocking and apart from the rest Of society;
and. consequently. she does not accomplish
the good which she might otherwise. These
colleges are not good for society. The school
mt Andover does not do this. 1t is not like
Bryn Mawr and Wellesley in this respect-it
trains woman and gives her a finish without
doing any harm and that Is why like It,"
Tho college women Of Boston read the re-
port OF what the Rev. DR.. Donald had said and
they began to talk. Tho Boston Advertiser
sent reporter around TO gather up some rep
resentatiye views. Julia Ward Howe said:
Il regret very much that Dr. Donald should
have seemed to oppose the higher education
OF women. l don't think he would seriously
undertake TO do this. l think one oonse
quencs OF that higher education is the disap,,
pearanLo of-the bluestocking from general
society When stpdious women were rare
they were generally voted eccentric. which
they sometimes vera and oitener we're not.
High culture among women IL no longer
rarity and to my mind this change has very
much raised the tone Of society" ,
Mrs. {. q. Ames said: III DIR. Donald seri-
ously said. as is attributed TO him that Bryn
MaTr and Wellesley are spoillnc women. one
Certainly not for form mothers or daughters. as my
own Acquaintance with college women com
rels me to believe; certainly not for civic ser.
.Ssry educated ! Woman college educated. too
has in view. which. / believe br. Donald him
self would say. is to so use this earthly life as
TO- carry out Of It into the eternities more
Mrs. Alice Iearmain. one OF the ex. Presi.
dents of the College Club. sand III DR.. Donald
frivolous society the statement may be true.
but otherwise she has e eater interest in scot
and In everything that makes Tor higher
1T Is true that htre and there a woman:is
not; as yet. produced anything that COMPARES
With the works Of Beethoven; Shakespeare or
nor.Hnit tiles both Tor study ma freedom o, ac-
ton must he borne in mind"
MIS-. Alice Idi'ncr 4 FORMER PRESIDENT OF
Wellesley College. said OF course. | don't
know what may have been DR.. Donald's eI-
rerence with college bred women. | don't
suppose he has known many Of them. All
can say 10 that In my own experience. which
covers an acquaintance with 10000 or $1,000
college women. my facts do not tally with those
OF DR.. Donald.
Il don't believe that DR.. Donald meant to
run down women's colleges. College bred
women are In no way different from other wo-
men In thelr mental attributes or their social
powers. | have known them successful In
society. with better motives than the woman
without college education.
As-to the blue stocking charge. az Har-
ward professor Of philosophy has tabuIated
statistics as to the nun Der Of women students
who marry after graduation at tho end OF Ave
years, about rs many women had married as
the figures showed among the men students"
Dr. Laura Hughes. who was at the head OF
the detention hospital at Montauk. said: The
man is talking Of what he knows nothing
about. and it seems foolish to tnke II up"
Miss Sarah Hughes said: "All education is
but DEVELOPMENT. and many people not only
need college course, but Il post. graduate
course and trip to Europe before they are
developed. 1t seems TO mo that DR.. Donald
has lost sight OF or is not aware OF the real
secret OF education which is tho development
OF The faculties that God has given us. | am
afraid he did not have enough training him
self to develop his faculties in the broadest