Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-06-21
Co.EDUCaTIoN.


ago, he made remark while visiting
what was then the Territorial uniyer-
slty, that has been remembered well by
those who heard It to this day.
He said that when he returned 70
France he would tell the people of the
strange sights he saw here, OF which,
he said, none would seem TO the French
people more strange than the presence
OF lady students In classes at the Uni
yersity.
The proposition OF friend OF the
Chicago University TO give to the In
stitution sl,5OO,OOO on condition that the
money shall be 80 used as TO provide
separate quarters for the men and the
women while receiving instruction, and
the action Of Prest. Harper and the
faculty in voting to accept the gift on
this condition, has brought prominent
ly forward the whole question OF the
co-education Of the sexes in the higher
institutions.
In the Chicago University there are
1000 girls and 1900 boys, and among
the girls vigorous fight against the
plan to sequester them has already de-
veloped. They have strong ally IN the
Rev. Jenlxln Lloyd Jones, a minister OF
the nelghborhood, who says;
"rhe action Of the college faculty IL
an outrage against the preparedness
of the twentieth century, and Is an at
tempt to revive at this age OF civilza-
lion the monasuc life OF the Middle
Ages. Ii Is the result OF a sad reactions
airy tendency, which Is hound TO be
sooner or later uttErly oyerthrown.
"The faculty has been influenced In
It's action by the promise ~ tl,50O0OO on
condition that II take such action The
tendencies 10 represent the man side or
the college have simply overcome all
ideas Of right and wrong and OF justice
to the woman side,
1.-THE arguments for two entirely non
coeducatlonal institutions have weight,
but II ~ ridiculous for a single college
government to attempt TO administer
the affairs OF woman's university and
mans university at the same time.
The faculty propose to separate the
sexes In the school, on the ground that
this action will suppress the tendencies
10 courtshp among the young people.
II Is said. too, that majority of the
men In attendance oppose the presence
OF women In the classes.
We do not believe that the American
system OF co.educatiok In higher insti-
tutlons Of learning has been In any
sense a mistake; and we do not think
that the results Of co-edncaton as far
as they are manifest In American
young men and women, viii compare
at all unfavorably with those OF the
French system OF separation OF the
sexes IN higher education. We think,
on the contrary that the American sys-
TEN ofGo-education is practical rec
ognltion Of the rights OF women that
has been beneficial TO both sexes and
to the cause OF education itself. We
are not among those who think. with
majority OF the faculty OF the Chicago
University, that the presence Of cupid
in the institutions Of learning Is an
unmlxal evil. For while there Is dan
ger that Irritation and loye-maklng may
waste the time Of some students and
interfere with their progress at school,
yet this danger Is not greatly empha-
sized by the presence of women In the
classes, but Is common TO the period
OF youth. On the other hand. educators
say It is a great stimulus to the aver
age young man TO have Che presence
of the opposite sex IN his classes, for It
puts him upon his best behavior 1t is
also probable that the average young
person Is more highly susceptible to
influences Of "the good, the beautiful
and the true when he Is first In love
than he is at any other period Of his
life. Why should education lack the
element OF romance. which Is common
to all situations Of life? II we had u
son at college. We should prefer that
he wouM spend his hours Of leisure In
the company OF one OF the college girls
rather than in the company of some OF
his male associates; for we believe that
there Is less liability to evil In the pres
ence Of q good young woman than In
the company Of a crowd OF young men,
II statistics are appealed to, the
growth OF American higher institutions
lends no support to the theory that CO.
education is failure. In ten years.
the principal women's colleges, Bar
nard. WELLESLEY vassar, Smith, and
Mryn Mawr have grown only IS per
cent; while the five great co-educa-
tional institutions, Leland Stanford.
Syracuse, and the Universities Of Kan
sas, Michigan and Wisconsin. have
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