New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-08-18
CO-EDUCATION A FAILURE.
Dr.. Van de Warker Says Colleges Are Not
Matrimonial Agencies

Is the education of women with failure?
DR.. Ely Van de Warker. Commissioner Of Ed
ucation at Syracuse asks this question in the
rent number Of "Harper's Weekly and answers
1t with an emphatic affirmative. Economy he
says. IS to great extent responsible for the
grating OF cc-educatiOn colleges for men,
and the unnatural union between two systems
that contain irrecoucable differences has pro
duced hybrid which presents no method OF self
adjustment to the needs Of women"
BY way Of argument, DR. Van de WarkNr ad-
duces IN the hrst place the commonly accepted
ideas as 70 the relative powers OF the masculine
and feminine minds. Only men, broadly speak
Ing are capable OF objective studies" he says.
quoting President jordan of the Leland Stanford.
Jr., University: only learn TO face
fact without hncIing. unswayed by feeling
preference. The reality with woman is the way
the fact affects her. Original Investigations ere
ative art, the resoIute facing Of the world belong
TO mems world. not at al to that of the average
woman. That women in college do as good work
men IS beyond question. In the university they
do mt. for this difference exists the rare excep-
ton only proving the rule that women excel In
technique; actual achievement II instTUo-
ton through investigation is the real work Of the
university then in the real university the work 0:
the most gifted woman may be only by-play."
A particular instance OF the disadvantage suf-
fered by women IN co-educstion DR.. Van de War
ker finds in the field OF medicine. Women enter
the profession Of medicine specialists, he points
out; while men become psychologists X they
please, women become psychologists because they
must. Gynecology is admittedly OF the most
difficult branches OF medicine; Yet the woman
student has no opportunity IL the co-educa tIonal
medical school To specialize in this branch, and
the hospitals do not offer her the same opPortunl-
ties for postgraduate work they give TO men.
Why women VIII submit 70 this when there are
we'll equipped medical schools for WCmen where
they specialize during their student NE Ut an
de Warker finds 10 be OF the anomalies
fostered by the co-educatIOnal idea and he be-
Heves that woman viii miss her true place IN
demands that VIII be made upon her she must
be educated. not as men are, but as women ought
be
AS for the social side OF life in the college for
both sexes. Or. Van dc Warker considers IL to be
unto! cuuafe phase OF TIE question Tor ire dd-
voCates of co-educltlOu This side OF co-educa,
serious problem OF higher education social stls-
-na. and rendered Il matter OF doubt and APP
prehcusion.' AS for the influence OF cultured
young women IN eleFdtlng the character OF JIe
in co-educatiOnal institutions, he thinks 1t
need not be taken into consideration, tOr 'they
are not cultured Character IS uniformed: they are
age OF influence" Moreover. he adds. the strong
personaltY'-by which term II Is evident from the
context that he means 10 Indicate the male per
souallty-' always controls the weaker
In student love and marriage Dr. Van de War
ker finds OF the greatest evils and absUrdltles
OF co-education. The function OF colleges, IN MS
rimOuial agencies. By so doing they are helping
wreck professional careers; they are helping 10
Ill the divorce courts with pitful tales OF broken
hearts and lives. and 10 mt the matrimonial Yoke
upon neCks that IN after life viii hold IN bonds
that Il Is mockery 20 call holy tired and helpless
women and helpless and irritable men
And yet ne adds. there Is darker picture q
the uurestrained social relation OF the sexes in
co-educa tiOnal colleges To the greatest social DIS
orders arising from the system he nnds ~ iulp2s-
sibe to give more than bare mention; but tho
testimony Of TWO co-educauoualists, President Jor-
dan and Professor E Z, Siosson. chancellor Of
Syracuse University is adduced TO prove their eN-