The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1903-02-21
Co.Education.
THE subject of co-education has
been one of the most widely dis

THE subject of co-education has
/ been one of the most widely dis
cussed subjects in educational cir
cles the past year, owing to the move
ment of the Northwestern university
in barring female students in many
branches. First, let us define co-edu-
cational institution 1t is one in which
women are admitted to mems colleges,
where the work has been authorized
for men, and the sport and regulations
are such that have been given for boys
to make them manly. and by giving girls
these same surroundings and environ
ments we surely diminish the difference
between their minds, manners, ambi-
! lions and subsequent callings in life,
which is precisely the thing that will
lessen all that is womanly in woman.
The tendency of the strongest educa-
tlonal leaders of the day is against it,
and the general opinion in it's favor is
I losing ground in its greatest strong
mold, the central and western states.
President Jordan of Stanford university
is quoted as saying recently that I'VE
can he blind to the fact that in the last
ten years the reaction against it has
been rising" We will try to state
briefly some of the main Objectionable
features to the system:
First. the necessity which in a from
tier region of increasing population and
little wealth, the maintenance of sep
arate schools would have been I'M
necessary expense and financial hard
snip. The times have changed and this
Is no longer a reason for co-education.
1t is noticeable that the most wealthy
people of culture who can well afford
to send their children to any college,
send them to private schools, where
they are never mixed.
The second objection is that a gill
at school age has not usually reached
the age of discretion, and few go
through mixed school with that
charm of maidenly modesty to be found
among those who are educated alone
That old adage that Familiarity
breeds contempt" is never so true as
when applied to young people. Boys
by daily contact with girls in school
lose that respect which a man should
nave for and show woman, sort of
comradeship is esta blished which is all
we'll and good in it's place, but which
is Invariably overstepped by constant
rudeness, which most girls learn to
take as matter of course. At home
or in society girls can choose their as
sociates, under the guidance of par
ents; In school they do not have this
opportunity, as is shown in a report
from the Boston schools, which cited:
There are many bold, bad boys in
these schools, and it seems to me very
whether we have tie
moral right to subject girls to the evil
influences of such pupils. Unless the
teachers are persons of much wisdom
and of strong influence for good over
the pupils, vulgarity is an almost in
feature of the intercourse be-
tween boys and girls.
Strange as it may seem, there are
many who believe in co-education as a
means of raising the standard of morals |
Of these same bad boys, as Harry T. |
Finck said in recent article: Should |
'efned young girls be used as chlorides |
or the publication of corrupt boys?"
The same writer goes on to say that |
he knows of not single case where !
the boys We're benefited by contact |
with the girls. Who ever heard of a
boy becoming like a girl from college
contact? But alas! how many girls
become veritable tom boys? Their be-
ng in school does not even have the
to make them more polite,
even the judicial President Thwing adj
nits that co-education has the disad
7antage of lessening mans instructive
aspect for woman.
Men do not want women as statues
o place upon a pedestal and worship.
They want gentle, lovable, sympathetic,
companions, and when boys
grow into men they soon learn that
he shallow, empty ostentation and
ravado air of independence are sorry
institutes for that charming anna
,ility and winsomeness which all true
nen admire in women. BY this article
t is not meant to infer in any way that
he educational advantages of the girl
hould be limited, but that her course
hould be separated and then given all
he advantage possible. Surely, it can
lot be said that our convent schools
re limited in the course, would the
harm that forever remains with the
girl be found in her
ollege bred sister