New-York tribune., 1900-05-12
WOMEN AS LAWYERS.
MRS PETTUs'S PAPER READ BEFORE THE
SOCIAL. SCIENCE ASSOCIATION


SOCIAL SCIENCE ASSOCIATION.
Washington, May 11-At the afternoon session of
the Social Science Association the principal paper
was on the Legal Education of Women" by Mrs
Isabella NJ Pettus of this city, assistant iect-
urer in New York University. The illness OF her
mother detained Mrs. Pettus in New-York. so the
paper was read by Professor Isaac Franklin Rus
sell. 1t said in part:
Women appeared before the courts, of ancient
was soon taken away from them but, long pelore
israel ir In Spain and italy in the Middle Ages
women filled professors chairs IN letters ana e IN
ing doctors degrees In law II was reserved for
practice OF law a woman to whom her own uni
versity had given the doctors degree, under the
in her tribunals to be electors.
have ruled as sovereigns but even in France and
other kingdoms under the Salic law women were
and oed ad 0ag sny of the law is
prime Importance in the complete education at ai9s of
me mind consistent Ogisal gn and I'd
women as to men" Therefore, because women are
equally under the law, as they own, and control
by the u circumstances of modern life, factor in
the business world. all women sh9nd % know nov s sne
but to fit them for the activities , about ut them and
EDUCATION IN LAW.
What, then, are the provisions for their obtaining
such education in law as will suffice for their new
opportunities? At the opening of the present
our great Institutions Of learning in many cases
equal footing with their brothers. Sometimes
the last Exercises of Buffalo Law school when a
woman took the highest honors and was graduated
Oberlin in 1888 was the first to open her doors to
IN nta tee hem 1 IN @ M Mcbean IN 1853 Boston Law
nois in 1880, and other States in quick succession @
while in our great Western States the law schools
ssa In the EmPre sd 1he m Ts &
and has graduated fifty women with the degree OF
the Masters degree. Illinois has the largest roll of
names of women admitted to her bar. for eighty
Even in the more conservative southern States
the way has openedmfour States admit them TO
Haskell of Helena Mont. secured the passage of
araes aT In M Ra @ has bad
FOR twenty years Miss Angie J. King In Wyo-
versty admitted to the bar last year
SUCCESSFUL WOMEN.
In NTYqTk M we & have W%men LaTysFs Ws GnP p5
6roEk SI Geo of IS ecretary ' TheTe are
about twenty members and the society meets
5fsnaFy Gsas for social and exchange OF
Boston has her Portia Club, and Chicago her
National Association of Women Lawyers. member
yeR oT Miss i9 of
is in her f fathers iaw if firm mr. Miss 5hard1 18th S Of
of Chicago, edits ''The Forum" and one Of the
best legal Journals In the country was founded ana
edited for years by Mrs. Bradwel, whose husband
carries it since her DEATH keeping her
founder
Women have not been slow to profit by their
opportunities for legal education, and many have
studied law for culture who will never practise in
the courts. One OF the main factors in popular
iZing the outline study of law has been the Wom-
ans Law Glass Of New-York University. which
gives business course of law to non-ma tTicuants
and furnishes them with textbook which is
entering its third edition. With the impetus given
TO the study of law in the development of statutes
enabling women to hold property and act for them
selves, such course is OF high value and college
presidents who have become familiar with the
work of this class do not hesitate to commend il
desirable in all institutions of learning Six
hundred women have taken this course.
While women lawyers have not increased to IAN
alarming extent" said by Irish paper,
they yet numerous enough TO prove that legal
education is for for men. and that, given
the opportunity. the woman will embrace II S
quickly she
Other women who have spoken during the
vention Adele Maria Hickey. OF this city whose
subject was Therapeutic Methods Based on Phys
iCal Gesture: Kate Sanborn of Hoston Mass,
on Social Changes In New England: Mrs Ora
Langhorne, of Lynchburg, Va. Changes In
Virginia During the Half Century" and Miss Flora
]. White. of Concord. Mass. ''The Beers in
Their Social Relations"