The Saint Paul globe., 1904-06-25
GIRLS IN A FIGHT
YOUNG WOMEN IN A SOUTHERN
COLLEGE SCRIMMAGE
Coeducation is Not as Much Favored
as Formerly, Owing to the Kind of
Girls 1t Develops-Women Lose
Their Dignity

The following from Indianapolis ap-
peared lately in the New York Press:
In the most savage class scrap" that
Butler college, a coeducational institu-
tiOn, has ever known, the senior and
Junior class men We're badly Worsted by
the Undergraduate girls who captured
President Anthony of the senior class.
He and some of his officers were bound
by clotheslines to the iron beds of the
girls dormitories. The affray has caused
a wide commotion in Butler. and many of
the seniors are nursing scratched cheeks
and heads bereft of hair.
The class feeling in Butler has been at
fever heat for several weeks and dated
from the attack on the sophomore presi-
dent, girl. Last night Miss Rose Bill
1ings entertained the upper class men in
her home, and on account of the attack
planned by the undergraduate girls the
date of the dinner was kept a secret.
Nevertheless, two of the senior girls
failed to appear at Miss Billings dinner.
Toward the end of the feed the tele-
phone rang and the two detained seniors
sent word to Miss Billings guests that
they were captives in the hands of the
undergraduates in their dOrmitory.
The senior men said they would rescue
their class women at any cost, and they
sailed forth to the dormitory where they
were prisoners. They had to burst in two
doors before they reached the captive
girls, who We're bound to one another.
The 'dormitory" girls were a fighting
guard. They attacked the five senior
men like furies. They scratched and
ClaWed and kicked and the men were set
upon when they could not resist the dor
What shall we do with the culprits?''
asked a freshwoman.
Lets tie them together and lock them
In your rOOm.''
One of the girls offered her pink bou-
doir as prison, and the four seniors
were bound with clotheslines Then they
We're tied to the iron bedstead of the
freshman girl and left there
They yelled for help and witch hazel.
because their wounds We're smarting. but
the younger girls jeered them in their
cries:
oh think of it! Beaten by girls! You
would try to rescue your senior girlsn"
Ihen class songs were sung by the vic
toriOuS maids.
Finally the impropriety of having four
healthy seniors in the girls dormitory
dawned upon them, and the girls were
only too eager to get rid of their prison
ers. With manicure shears the men were
released. and they walked to the nearest
drug store for liniments.
In the first place one wonders wheth-
er this is true; surely if it was not
some denial would appear. In the sec
ond place one wonders what kind of
girls they were that took part in such
disgraceful scenes. And then one is
led to ponder upon higher education for
women, upon cOeducation and the ap-
parent results of it which are recorded
like the above. It is not strange thai
a general reaction has set in against
coeducatiOn and that it is felt even in
the public schools, where separate
classes for boys and girls are being
agitated. Much comment on the above
is not necessary, as it speaks for itself.
One argument used by those who claim
that these scenes are not directly
caused by the coeducationaI idea is
that girls who are inclined to do these
things will do them anyway and at
whatever school they are placed But
an affair of this kind could not happen
anywhere but at coeducational insti-
tuition, and what makes it so bad is
that young women should be mixed up
with men in a vulgar scrimmage. Fan
cy lot of girls kicking and cIawing
young men as described in this clip
ping! 1t is hardly credible Better no
education for girls if in the process
they forget their dignity, decency and
womanliness. All the education in the
world wouldn't help a girl who would
take part in a class fight with young
men. Better an ignoramus with self