The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-03-14

The question Of whether the higher
education Of women shall be the same as
that Of men or whether it can and shall
be specialized with a view to their future
needs Is just now being widely considered
and discussed. One Of the recent thought
full and conservative contributions to the
subject is by Miss Celestia S. Parrish,
professor In Randolph Macon college. in
the Educational Review. ....< So.
She says all Intelligent and unpreju-
diced persons now concede that the intel
lectual development Of women is subject
to the same laws as that of men. She
distinguishes however between the pre-
liminary and general training, which has
intellectual and moral development for
its main object, and the specialized work
which presupposes :, such development
She thinks there should be difference
in the education of the sexes when the
grade of study is reached which Is repre-
scented by the freely elective work OF COL
leges, the graduate work Of universities,
and the professional work of technical
departments and schools.
Miss Parrish says that at first sight 1t
would seem that college men and women
who choose teaching as profession ought
to have exactly the same training; but,
she observes, the main educational fields
open to women are the primary and sec
ondary departments, and this will beyond
doubt cause some difference between the
training of the majority Of men and the
majority of women who mean to teach.
In professions other than teaching, still
greater differences are to be found +
Training for Family Life. :.
This writer's further opinion is that, in
the education of mon and women who are
likely to marry, there should be special
training ''to allow each to assume differ
emit phases Of the complex work which the
home and the family necessitate.' She
says there are certain functions or duties
In household economy whose proper
performance presupposes more, special
knowledge than is needed by physicians,
lawyers. teachers, or members of any
other profession" These duties are now
almost universally left to the wife, at
least In cases where the husband must
support the family. Such duties are the
sanitary supervision of the home, the Sc
lection and preparation of the food, and
the main social direction Of the family
life - ..r..... >
Not Prepared for Matrimony.
Miss Parrish chances over the course of
education of "a Bryn Mawr A. b." and
comments as follows:
.'By the time she reaches her Phi. D. de-
gree, and even before, she may have
attained a fairly good balance Of powers,
but one would hardly consider her ready
without further study to regulate her own
life before and after marriage so as to Sc
cure the best results for her children.
Without assiduous study she would hard
~ know enough of physiology or hygiene
to regulate the physical life of little
child; hardly enough of psychological laws
to train the delicate organism, the child
mind: certainly not enough of chemistry
or the hygiene of foods to prevent hope
less Indigestion on the part of her house,
hold; not enough of bactertology to- guard
intelltgently a household against germ
diseases; and not enough of the workings
Of social forces to be very Intelligent
worker in the social regeneration which
ought to be a part of the work of every
influential mistress of a home. She would
hardly be ready without further study to
guide either her sons or her daughters
thoughts through the several life crises.
Recognition OF woman's After-Life.
Dr.. James s. Garfield of Columbia Uni