The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-07-27
coLLEGE OR NO FOR WOMEN.

At the recent meeting of the Amer ican Institute of Instruction held at Portland, Me. 1t seems that two great v omen of the General Federation or Wonen's Clubs differed on the subject of what higher education for women should coasist in. Mrs. Sarah Platt Decker, President, and Mrs. Eva Perry Moore, Vice-President of the Fed era tion, real papers on opposite sides of k the question.
 Mrs. Decker, it seems, in her paper. questioned if a woman has time for a four year college course. An account in The New York Evening Post says:
 She spoke particularly of the necd to teach girls to be contented at home. Do we do it?' she asked. T have in mind many mothers who have found to their sorrow and heartache that the long-talked-of and much desired col lege advantages have only resulted in the dissatisfaction of the daughter with the ordinary life and conditions of the household, and that home-making and home happiness have been left entirely out of the college curriculum. The an- swer to this always comes from the authorities:
 But we teach cooking and domestic science in our college" Friends cook ing and domestic science are not home making. A home may be made as beau- tif1l as Heaven with cold potatoes served on a deal table. The cooking g and household work should go hand in hand with the college training, but from the first day of the freshman course to the crowning glory and honors of com mencement day. with the material side of home making. could we not instill into these daughters who are to be, we hope, future wives and mothers. the idea that ome-making is a science to be learned and not a drudgery to be dreaded. Could we not establish a pro- fession of "daugaterhood" or mother hood, which would include the knowl- edge of and willingness to share the small economies )f home; the courtesy and attention due to the aged; the sac rif1ce of selfish plan2 and the thought full consideration of the mother. father, and other members of the family, the habits of industry and the graces and accomplish shnents of happiness and per- sonal service7' *.<
 Mrs. Decker urged the establishment of a chair to teach the profession of life" in which she included courtesy, gentleness. contentment, the pleasure to be obtained from everyday nappen ings, "the divine art of happiness and the still diviner art of comon sense.
 Mrs: Moore. who Is President of the National Association of Collegiate Alumnae. replied to Mrs. Decker's pa per, which had previously been submit ted to her. She pointed out the real object of a college education, which is not to fit men and women for any es- pecial fun unction-unless, of course, a re- stricted line of study be pursued-but to fit them as nearly as possible for the broadest citizenship. There is no place except the home where q woman may learn the art of home-making. There is no place narrower than the wide world where women or men can learn the art of living. The proper time for special training is after the liberal training of the college course has pro- vided a basis upon which to build. Without thts sp,rial course, however, while a woman may not be able to com pete in skill with trained housework- er she may so use her brains and her directed thought that she can manage a household.