Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-03-25
,WATERVILLE.
Why Not a Women'S COLLEGE?
the Kennebec Journal.

Editor of the Kennebec Journal:
1t is not only the alumni of Colby
who are interested in the present con-
uition of affairs at the college; her
alumnae also have been watching the
= trend of events and realize the COM
plexities of the situation.
| 1t is p years since Colby opened her
doors to women. Is not that a suffi-
clent length of time in which to test
the practicability of a system?
That co-education has not been a
success at Colby is a matter of his
tory. Various have been the make
shifts to meet the difficulties; co-edu
cation was succeeded by coordination.
and this in time by a system which is
neither and which would be hard tode
fine. These changes and readiust
ments indicate that the trustees of the
| college have had real problems to deal
with.
In the enthusiasm of our Undergrad
uate youth we were disposed to ignore
these. Colby was for men and women
| alike. a righteous vote had made if
so. Then what cared we for the mas
culine mutterings that reached our
ears from time to time? And still for
| ; N"io dit'i we C1unR Ten
aciously to our ideal and fondly be-
lieved that co-education would succeed
| IN time. But other years have rolled
by and the Colby woman is still sub
Ject for debate-still, as of yore, she
enlivens, though not by her presence
tprocul, procul este, profanaeO, the
banquets of the alumni.
| III then, we do grant that co-educa-
| ton at Colby has not been a success
after q years of trial and reason from
TINS as premise that it probably
never can be, we must agree with the
alumni who think that the time is at
hand When the college must define her
pollcy definitely. Evidently we must
bring ourselves to surrender what is
ideal and accept what is practicable
| To the alumni of the college in general
| there occurs but a single alternate: if
both men and women are not to be adj
United, then, of course. il should be
men alone. And most Of the alumnae
also have probably entertained this
alternative only. But is there not an
other? And it is suggested advisedlv
| and, as ii were, under the breath-sug-
gested with a full appreciation of the
facts that the college was founded for
men, has been maintained for the
most part, by men. and that her noble
record has been made very largely
| through men. Yet. realizing all this.
| we venture to ask. if it may not be a
| women s college, rather than a men s
| that is so needed at Waterville. Are
| there not indications of this that no
one could fOreSee? A little reflection
| makes us wonder if it is co-education
alone that is responsible for the al
legged condition of affairs at the col
| lege. May it not be possible that the
| state of Maine, with its population
moderate in numbers and in wealth
cannot successfully maintain so many
colleges for men? Is there a real need
for four institutions to which they are
admitted? 1t may be that the with
holding of the means for larger devel-
opments at Colby these later years. is
an indication that her usefulness must
he turned into a different channel
On the other hand, while Maine pro
videS so lavishly for her sons. like
New Hampshire and Vermont, she
holds no college distinctvely for her
women. This being the case the Maine
girl who prefers the college for her
|
State TO seek admission at the already
over-crowded institutions of Massachu-
sets, or unable to meet the expense
this would involve. abandon a higher
course altogether. Does not the in
creasing number of women at Colby
$50 bitterly complained of by her
alumni indicate that it is a college for
her women that Maine is needing d?
| Furthermore does not tho
ing deplored decrease in the strength
of the mems division point to the prob
ability that Colby might well be the
foundation for such an institution?
Such a proposition as this may seem
startling to many-though. we think
not all-of the alumni What abandon
our traditions? Assume the paradox
cal character of alumni of a women's
college? And we, too. brothers. would
sympathize with you in the stern logic
OF events. We. too. realize that many
would be the difficulties in the way of
perfecting change which some of us
think is taking place before our eyes.
And yet-would it be such a great
ch2nSe after all? Men and women-we
rise or fall together. Colby as a wo-
mans college would still be carving
out the spirit. if not the letter. of the
purpose of its founders in educating
the daughters of the State.
1t may be that we have not read
Alright the signs of the times and yet
there remains the possibility that
Colby is furnishing another illustration
of the fact that THE old order chang
eth. yielding place to new
ALUMNA.