The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-01-02
THEY DISCUSS co-EDUcATIoN.
Prof. Katherine !. Hutchinson, of Al
bert Lea College, Is Opposed to 1t.


Prof. Katherine !. Hutchinson, of Al
bert Lea College, Is Opposed to 1t.
81 am especially in favor of co-edu-
cation because it gives young women
an opportunity to choose fntelligently
a. life partner" declared Prof. Maria
Sanford yesterday morning, during the
course of an address in favor of CO.
education delivered before the college
section of the Minnesota Educational
association in the Central high school.
Prof Katherine I. Hutchinson, of
Albert Lea college, in a paper on
Separate Education for Men and
Women During the Freshmen and
Sophomore Year." declared herself
emphatically in favor of such separa-
J. Evans declared against such separa-
ton. A lively discussion followed the
reading of Prof. Hutchinson's paper.
From the nature of the case" said
Miss Hutchinson, 1.-The discussion turns
largely on the education of women. Let
us see first what are some of the dis
advantages or social dangers said to
result from the higher education of
women and then ask the question, VIII
the proposed segregation tend to re-
duce these? There are many who be-
lieve that during the college course a
girls taste is changed, that her in
tereSt is directed away from the home
and all that pertains to it.
when she returns to her home af-
ter her college term she finds it pokey.
We have tried to remedy this by in
Producing electives in the curriculum,
courses in domestic science, child
psychology, ETC., but the average col
lege girl does not elect these as rule.
She feels that she can, when she
wishes, learn to cook in her mothers
kitchen, but that in college she must
pursue those studies which are broad
ening." She does not want the labOra-
tory to be a kitchen nor the class room
nursery. So there is this danger of
the destruction of home life to be met
with.
Another social danger from the edu-
cation of women in the same classes
with men is that of competition. She
becomes his rival. She has proved in
her college life-So she thinks-that
Intellectually she is his equal. Out
side of college she considers that his
vocations are quite worthy her intel
1ectual attachments, so she struggles
for his place and neglectS what was
formerly her special sphere, the home.
I must confess that from my own ex-
perience as teacher in the seminary
and the college that the seminary girl
=
ger of losing"
Miss Evans, in opposing this view
of co-education, declared that having
the boys and girls educated together
in colleges largely reduced the amount
of dissipation and immortality which
was apt to remain undetected in a col
lege for men; and made the rodyism
and social disturbance which always
accompanies the massing of large
bodies of men almost unknown. These
bad habits, she asserted, were gener-
ally formed during the first two years
of the young mans college life.
IF the presence of pure minded,
fastidious young women can keep a
young man from these habits for the
is greatly lessened. The mutual in
fluence of young men and young
women upon each other during the
formative period produces a new type
of character-manly and womanly
character. Special masculine virtues
are impaired to the young woman;
special feminine virtues make the
young man more manly" go
In conclusion the speaker said: Tn
ordinate desire for national prosperity
threatens to become the dominant
principle with us and will surely bring,
in due season, decay. The education
of women with men tends to combat
InIS tendency 10 cOmmerc1allSm on the
part of man, and to give to him some
of the ideality of women. Women are
undoubtedly as fond of the results of
wealth as are men, but they are not in
danger of loving the game of. money
getting as men love it,
Prof. Sanford stated that she agreed
with what Miss Evans had said in
favor of co-education. She added that
there were always some boys and girls
for whom CO. education would not do at
all, but she said it was not necessary
to consider those. Higher education
was not for them. But for girls who
could appreciate it-and the majority
could-higher education was especially
good. In order to bar those boys and
girls who might abuse it's privileges,
Prof. Sanford recommended the en-
forcement of standard of high
scholarship.
Prof. w. w. Payne, of Carleton col
lege, presided at yesterdays meeting
of the college section. Other papers
were read as follows: Qualifications
and Limitations for the Degree of Doc
tor of Philosophy" DR.. D. Frederick
w. Sardeson, University of Minnesota;
What Should Be the Aim and Object
of the Study of Latin in a Classical
Course Prof. ]. Sander, Gustavus
Adolphus; and The Rules, Forms and