New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-06-02
EDUCATIONAL AFFAIRS.
NEWS OF THE COLLEGES AND UNIvER-
sTTTEs-NOTEs OF INTEREST.
TEE EDUCATION OF woMEN-REMARKA-
Bile PROGRESS DURING THIRTY-FTvE
YEARS OUTLINED BY PRESIDENT
THOMAS OF BRTN MAwR


There could perhaps be no better evidence Of
-, --og-ess Of the education OF women IN the
T--,rs5 states than the fact that only thirty-hve
,-aa-s after the opening Of the first college for
vor,en a monograph their education, prepared
for the Paris Exposition at the request Of the
United states Commission should be written by
the woman president Of q college for women. The
task was intrusted 10 Miss NJ. Carey Thomas,
president Of Bryu Mawr College.
The difficulties in the way Of collecting com
pIete and accurate statistics were great. and in
some cases insurrnoUntabie. hut President Thomas
has nevertheless succeeded IN getting together
body ~ facts OF very great value. The first con-
clusion gained from the tables and data Of the
forty pages OF the pamphlet is the irresistible one
that the clde Of the higher education of women is
already far strong TO be stopped, however
much II may be directed In 1855 Vassar opened its
doors with handful OF students. In 1878 there
were studying in coeduca tonaI colleges univer-
sites and in women's coueges-ony institutions of
real academic rank being counted-222sT women,
"a per cent OF the total number Of graduate and
Undergraduate students. II the Roman Catholic
colleges were excluded from this number the per-
csntase Of women would be much larger. Not only
ire growth itself. but the method Of growth. is
striking. IN the East Il has been almost entirely
in colleges exclusively for women or in what
popularity known as annexes- West Of the Misss-
sipp has been entirely in coe6ucatonal institu-
tons. every college and university in those States
coming" under that head. IN Michigan Arkansas,
Alabama. Florida, West Virginia and the District
q Columbia there are also colleges closed to
women There are in the United States only three
graduate schools. aside from the Catholic Univer-
SHY. wnich do not admit women 10 graduate work
ot these one Johns Hopkins. admits women 10 the
medical school leaving Princeton and Clark Uni
vsrsiry 60 take absolute stand against the ad-
mission OF women There is a humorous element
II the policy OF Clark University II exists TO teach
pedagogy and experimental psychology TO men
80 @'llolsh ~ Per cent o. A'neTlcsn Iecres are
Not only Is the number of women students grow
than the number of men Students fact not usual
Is recognized. IN the coeducational colleges and
between 1879 1898: that Of women 1854 per
separate colleges for men only increased S47 per
cent. while thar Of women in colleges excIusTyely
cor women shot up 1855 per cent Besides the fact
Wlio-l Ihey quoted 70 prove, these figures also
show that the coeducationai colleges are Increasing
as 70 men students much more rapidly than are
the mems colleges. while the reverse is true for
the conservative East, where alone the separate
Very careful and valuable statistics are given
for almost every detail Of the -four great women
NawT They show Tassar with the largest produe-
tive FUND. Wellesley with the largest library and
The largest tuition Zee, smith win Inc IaTsesL
number Of undergrad uate students. ano Bryn AaWr
w. ne al EeSt - = e. 80 IN
as natural concornltant, sae IaIse7S PIopol-C
OF Phi D. degrees IN her faculty.. Starstlcs OF
seller colleges and Of affiliated colleges are also
TIE question OF health is touched upon. with the
statement that only statistics. so far as they
nave been kept bur also observation. shows that
the health Of college women Is slightly better than
classes. and that the proportion OF women Wh99
break down II college : greater than That OF
men. Statistics 5 marriage Of college women
are given. wiki the that no definite con-
clusions can be drawn until some statistics are
gathered as the marriage Of DOn-collese women
OF the same age and walk in life. or assaT
graduates over 81 per cent are married Wnlle, OF
course great many OF the recent classes nave not
vet rea ched the age Of probable marriage me
Argument against coeducatfon on the ground OF
fnte-u1arrlage among students is hardly Sus-
tanned BY President Thomas's table. where the CO
education and the wonens colleges fan INTO one
Chronological order those which have existed long
est having the largest proportion or married grad
President Thomas closes her monograph with a
brief account Of the change from the curriculum
modified for yvornen's supposed limitations ana
needs 10 the uumodihed which now prevails
e1-,oz- universally That women are abundantly
abe 70 90 the same work as men IS shown by the
unanimous testimony Of the faculties OF co-ecuca-
tonaI institutions while their wishes IN the mater
are evident from the work done al such q colege
as Bryn Aawr- Professors who have gained tneIr
experience Bryn Mawr 60 direct 70 ColuI1ltla-
Princeton and Chicago with no apparent dlsscyaIl-
age from having taught women alone and with
nc modification Of their work because OF the change
~ rner students. The conclusion or MISS IloIaas
thesis although not stated by her in definite terms
nav be summarized as follows:
Women can take the same academic rank as men,
z-6 -Fev wish TO do They work with men
an6 thew can 90 equally good work alone - W here
capacity and VIII are joined. there is no limit TO
ISL sfe advance