Evening star., 1901-12-21

women, LAST non-college sisters and 107S
college brothers These four investigations.
conducted independently of each other, con-
tain absolutely convincing proof of the good
| results of Intellectual work for women.
There is not a shadow of evidence to prove
that college education works anything
out physical good to the college woman
or impairs in any way her functional life.
They seem also to prove that only about
90 per cent Of the classes from which the
majority OF college women come marry,
whether they have or have not been to
college; but this is not the fault Of
college women. College women, like other
women, are dependent on men for mar
riage. and the college presidents who en-
Join upon us to teach women womanly
virtues and educate them to become wives
and mothers should begin by educating
their own college men to become hus-
bands. And how can women be educated
In peculiar womanIy virtues unless we ed
ucate them in so-called feminine defects?
justice, Righteousness, truth. love Of knowl-
edge, sympathy, reaSonablenesS are both
womanly and manly virtues, and happy
are our mems or women's colleges If they
teach some tiny fraction of them.
How can women be educated primarily
to be wives and mothers? I do not know.
l have never met a woman that did know.
l have asked many devoted wives and
mothers, who have laughed at the pre-
posterous idea. So
Hard Answer to Give.
What requires the perfection of all our
human powers can scarcely be taught to
women in high schools or in colleges by
rule of thumb. The college women of the
/ future will be as numerous, and probably
more numerous than college men in COL
leges and universities. Women are now
steadily gaining on men; in the college de-
partment of some coeducational universi-
ties, like Chicago. they are already in the
majority II We may judge from the con-
tinuous increase of women teachers in
o mas CT irfx fla
college women of the future will have
almost all the elementary and secondary
teaching of the country in their hands. and
they will compete with men for professor
ships in colleges and universities.
Z When this is the case 1 believe there will
be women scholars of the highest rank, de-
voting themselves to research and inyen-
ton and original investigation, as there are
now women singers, and actresses, and
poets and novelists. In addition to teach
ing and library work, as at present, the
coi4ege woman of the future will he
found certain trades and professions pecu-
l1arly suited to her, in which she can sue
ceed as we'll, If not better, than men. I
venture to predict that architecture and
medicine will be two of these. Certain oivi-
s1ons of business, such as accounts and
chemical and electrical analysis, now be-
coming so important. will tend to fall into
her hands, as typewriting and telegraphy
nave already become the professions of
women.
The college women of the future will not
only be self-supporting, but they Will be
married to college men as generally as
working women and women of the. weal.,y
classes are now married to men in the same
circumstances as themselves.
Will Promote MatrimOuy
For the woman who is able to stand
shoulder to shoulder with the man she
loves in the support of the family there will
be 100 per cent, and no longer 90 per cent
OF marriages. She will indeed be the only
woman the man Of moderate income can
ahord to marry. And the college woman
with inherited wealth will be able to use
her wealth more wisely than now for in
the future all women of the leisure classes
Will go to college, like their brothers as
matter of course; and this tendency is even
now clearly marked. Two-thirds of the.
women now at Bryn Mawr have no expecta-
tion OF supporting themselves. The college
women OF the future will sit on boards of
education and boards of charity in as
large numbers as men, and they will as
sumo their full share of responsibility in
the direction of municipal and national
affairs. No one who watches the shadows
OF coming events can doubt this But it is
the children of the college women and COL
!ege men OF the immediate future that are to
build anew the heavens and earth of the
twentieth century. For the last half of the
H.neteenth century the American men of
the poorer classes-and they alone in the
civilized World-have had mothers as we'll
educated as their fathers in our co-edrca-
t1onal primary and secondary high schools
Whlch DO not exist in any other country in
the world; and to this, more than to any
other factor, Is due, it seems to me the
phenomenal enterprise and success in COM
merce OF the American people. In the TWEEN
tleth century the mothers of our wealthy
professional and middle classes will he ss
well educated as the fathers. and we NAV
then expect like success in spiritual and
intellectual things.