The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-11-11

/ SCHOOLS AND PROFESSIONS.
| From the United States Educational Re-
port Of 1896 and 1897, we learn that fourteen
| colleges for women, ranking with mems
colleges. conferred 200 degrees on women.
| One hundred and forty-eight other women's
seminaries. colleges, etc, conferred 1,217
| degrees. Coeducational institutions con-
| ferred over 1000 degrees. from which one
gathers that the general tendency is to-
ward entering the coeducational institu-
TONS and the corresponding diminution in
4 women's colleges.
| Eight-tenths OF the colleges. the univer-
stiles and the professional schools in the
United States are open to women. Thirty
thousand girls have already graduated
! from college, and 10000 more are preparing
to do so. says Mrs Palmer. former presi-
| dent of Wellesley. While eight-tenths OF
the colleges. universities. etc, are open to
] women, it is TO be noted also that eight
tenths Of the teachers of the country are
already women.
Many OF us can well remember when we
were frightened at the idea of trusting our
precious invalids to the care OF a woman
physician. We have not all recovered from
the fright as yet, though the census OF 1905
showed over $500 women physicians who
supported three large schools and several
small ones and conducted seven hospitals
| of their own. In 1897 there were about 1000
women pursuing medical studies.
| The year 1894 found $50 women practicing
law. When they have been admitted to
| practice at the bar of their own State they
may be admitted to practice in the United
States Supreme Court. In some parts of
| the country they have served as police
| judges, justices of the peace, grand and
petit jurors, Federal and State court
clerks, examiners in chancery and exam
liners of applicants for admission TO the
| bar. There are law courses connected with
the New York University, and founded by
the Women's Legal Education Society
| These courses are intended to meet the
wants of business women, and women in
private life who desire familiarity with the
| existing laws.
Among regularly ordained clergymen
there were in 1850 los women, preaching in
thirty-four different States. At the Parlia-
ment of Religions in 1893 it was stated that
seventeen religious denominations then adj
mitted women to their theological schools.
ordained and gave them pastorates.
POLITICAL CHANGES.
Marked as have been the changes in
industrial and educational conditions of
women, they are after all less significant
than the change in her political status.
| The century was nearly fifty years old be-
fore the tide of sentiment in favor of i'm
| proved political standing for women re-
suited in their first convention. The tide
of interest in this topic had been slowly
rising for twenty years. II found its ex-
interested in the movement for the aboli-
ton of slavery. Among Its leaders were
| Lucretia Mott. Maria Weston Chapman,
| Lydia Maria Childs and the Gr.mke sis
| tiers.
In statement concerning the then new
movement, Mrs. Livermore says: cts
leaders demanded equal rights in colleges
| and universities, trades and professions
complete equality In marriage. equal rights
in property, guardianship of minor chill
den. equal wages for equal work, right to
make contracts, personal freedom, TO sue
| and TO be sued 10 serve on juries, espe-
| cially when women are to be tried, and,
| finally, the right to vote, and to share il
political offices, honor and emoluments."
| AS yet only seven States give The father
| and mother equal legal control and guar
| oianship of minor children; in many States
| the earnings of the wife are the legal
property of the husband, which he not in
| frequently claims. The laws by which es-
| tates are settled when husband or father
| dies intestate are in many respects harsh,
| unequal and unjust While women have
| been instrumental in securing these
| changes in laws. they are not yet fully
| in possession OF the franchise. Indeed,
many women do not Gesire 1t tor them
selves, and would deprecate it for their sex
| as a whole. Notwithstanding these differ
ences in opinion thirty-one States and Ter
| ritories have conferred the right OF suffrage
| In full or in part. In Wyoming, Colorado.
| Utah and Idaho women vote on all ques-
| tions as fully as men, and are fully eligi-
| BILE to Office. In Kansas they vote at
| municipal elections. In Iowa taxpaying
| women vote on questions concerning ex-
| penditures of public money. In Illinois
women vote for trustees of the State Uni
versity, and in more than half of the
| United States they vote on school ques-
| lions.
| ORGANIZATIONS OF WOMEN.
The very great progress that women have
| made in working with each other shows
| their capacity for the better cooperation
| No other tendency has been So marked
| In the development of the last three dec
ades as has the tendency to combine in
| groups clubs or organizations, in order
| to accomplish the greater good. Within
| that time over s.-ty societies of national
scope have been founded for women by
| women. There are local boards of women
| by the hundred. organized to help the de-
| fective. the delinquent and dependent
| classes of society. Hardly a city or a
| village that has not ats club o. women
united for purposes OF good Within the
| last decade in half dozen principal cities
/ of the world have been held great gath
| erings OF thousands of women, united Cor
| the study OF those things that shall benefit
i humanity.
| There is one organization, the National
Council of Women, composed of about
4 twenty other national organizations, having
| an aggregate membership of 100000 women.
| These National Councils, established in
| eight different countries, have united and
| formed an International Council This
| organization is quite distinct from the great
4 Federation Of Clubs, which includes between
| 100 and 1900 separate organizations, en-
| gagged in study of those things that aid in
| their own development, or I'm study of coun-
| tries and conditions remote from them
| selves. Yet study for their own improve
| ment. and study OF remote conditions, have