Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-10

The University of Michigan had opened
its doors to women two years before and
its example had great weight with Cornell.
while in 1869 the conservative state of
Massachusetts had Incorporated Boston
University with co-education as its most
distinguishing feature. From that time on
the increase in the number of co-educa-
tional colleges has been very rapid, until
there is at least one in every state in the
Union. Most of them have the same stand
ard for both sexes.
Growth of Coeducation.
In 1879 ninety-seven colleges and univer-
stiles admitted women on the same terms
as men. and Is23 women accepted the
privilege. By 1890 the number or institu-
lions had increased to 2S2. and the number
of students to 8. 49, while in 1902 there were
$50 co-educational institutions and 22,507
women students. The ratio of women stu
dents to the total number of undergradu-
ates In 1878 was IT; In 1890 1t was 1915. and
in 1902 was 241. Seventy-one per cent OF
all OF the institutions for higher education
in the country are. now co-educational. and
IL the Catholic colleges. which have not yet
recognized the principle, were excluded, the
ratio would be more than 80 per cent. In
twenty-seven states and two territories
women now have the right to vote for
school officers, and in many of them they
are eligible to serve on boards OF education.
In 1902 two women. in Colorado and Idaho.
held the position of state superintendent OF
schools eleven the position of city superin-
tendent, and 324 OF county superintendent
while ~ per cent of all the teachers In the
public schools of the country were women.
President Mckinley recognized the princi-
pie of equality by appointing a woman to
the Office of superintendent of Indian
schools. which, until 1898, had always been
held by man.
The distribution of the 81 5S5 women coll
lege students in 1902 shows 1,074 studying
medicine. 1G2 dentistry, 21S pharmacy. l65
law and 10S theology.
"A lana f,.s ,f,,.x
now open to women, which is a matter of
both social and economic Importance Miss
Smith says: ION account, however of the
small number OF women engaged in pro-
fessional practice, the apprehension ex-
pressed in certain quarters of a general dis
turbance In family and other normal condi-
lions from this cause appears to be ground
less. Meanwhile, because Of the growing
complexities of life and the demand for
expert skill in dealing with social problems,
especially in the great centers of population.
the services of women learned In medicine,
hygiene and kindred subjects, familiar with
the legal relations and restrictions of en-
ployers and laborers or trained for the
phflanthropic. civic and reformatory work
that scientific sociology promotes and that
even modern theology recognizes as a part
of its legitimate field, becoming every
day more and more indispensable to the
public welfare" sr
Admitted as Postgraduates.
Certain universities in the east. notably
Yale and Columbia, <admit women to post
graduate courses but exclude them from
the undergraduate department, while Chi
cago separates themsfrom the men students
during the first two years of college life
and admits them to the classes when they
older and more mature. At Western
Reserve University, Ohio; Tulane Univer-
sty, Louisiana, and Brown University,
Rhode Island. there are distinct colleges for
women, having more or less the same facul-
finc nd hoin nad hx- hac hr. aids
of trustees, while Radcliffe is described as
an annex rather than, an integral part
of Harvard. and Barnard occupies the same
relation to Columbia
The problems involved In the coeduca-
tional system are gradually solving them
selves. Those which are the most perplex-
ing involve the social life. the dormitories
and the dining hall. In no case that am
aware of. is the spirit of cooperation and
equality carried farther than liberty to par
ticipate in social entertainments. but in no
college is the familiar association of the
sexes outside the classroom forbidden. A
system of residence halls for women, as
carried out at Chicago and Wisconsin uni
versities and several other places. is con-
sidered the most successful. but In. almost
every case the presidents and faculties OF
coeducational institutions commend the
familiar association of the sexes, and do
not discourage, while they may not actually
encourage. matrimonial engagements. DIR.
Jordan of Leland Stanford University says:
Social Relations.
college men and college women. being
mutually attractive, there are developed too
many receptions, dances and other func-
lions in which they enjoy each others COM
pany; but this is matter easily regulated.
Furthermore, at the most, the average
young woman in college spends In social
matters less than one-tenth the time she
would spend at home. With the young man
the whole matter represents the difference
between high-class and low-class associates
and associations When college men stand
in normal relations with college women,
meeting them in society as well as in the
classroom there is distinctly less of drunk
enneSs. rowdyism and vice than obtains I'M
der other conditions, and no harm comes to
the young woman through the good infiu-
ence she exerts To meet freely the best
young men she will ever meet, the wisest.
no harm to a young woman. Nor will the
association with the brightest and sanest
young women of the land work any harm
to the young men. This must always
recognize. The best young men and the
best young women, all things considered,
are in our colleges. And this has been and
will always be the case.
The Foreign Practice.
Eighty-six foreign colleges and UNIVERSE
ties admit women and men without distinc-
ton; six admit women by courtesy to por-
ton of the lectures, usually according to the
individual disposition of the lecturer, as fol-
lows:
Open to Admitted by
women. courtesy.
ENGLAND ----.-..
wales -.....-.-...-........
Scotlanu