The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-04-02
IF NOT COEDUCATION, WHATY
PROBLEM or 4 COLLEGE TRAIN.
ING ron WOMEN.

1NuuFuAb ~ HAhUIoFu--feW colleges
for Women ExelusiVeiy-COneEe Presl.
dents Who OPPOSE CO-edueatlOn.
Mrs. Jane IAthrop Stanford had the
distinction Of having given a larger sum
TO the university founded by her husband
and herself as a memorial Of their dead
son than was ever before given by any
ono person for a single purpose. Mr.
Stanford endowed il with several millions
II dollars and left the rest Of his fortune
70 his wife. Mrs. Stanford gave IL prao-
ecaily her entire fortune, amounting al
together TO about so, 100000
Senator and Mrs. Stanford were strong
le.ievers in woman suffrage and many
times entertained Miss Anthony and gave
her money to carry on her work. Once
during the period when the Government
eut to recover $4,000 900 from the Stanford
estate was pending, Miss Anthony was
crossing the continent and learning that
Mrs. Stanford's private car was on the
train sent in her card and was speedily
invited 70 make the rest Of the journey in
this luxurious conveyance.
During the conversation about ;he suit
Mss Anthony urged Mrs. Stanford TO 20 on
20 Washington and take personal charge
Of the case, and not to place full reliance
on anybody, This Mrs. Stanford after
ward did and succeeded in obtaining a
speedy and favorable decision.
When the first class was graduated from
the university President Jordan was very
anxious that Mrs Stanford should address
the students and present the diplomas She
thought it would he an utter impossibility,
hut finally consented and went through the
ordeal with much credit. Afterward in
telling Miss Anthony about itlshe said:
4 thought Of you and how you would
urge me to do IL; this gave me courage to
attempt It, and felt as II you were by my
side while made the address"
DR.. Jordan has said Of Mrs. Stanford
'She showed the most remarkable execu-
tive ability Of any woman I have ever
known."
10 Is said that some pressure was brought
10 bear in late years TO have her turn over
10 the trustees the control Of the university
which she always retained. The story
+ told that at one Of the board meetings
she placed upon the table a large strong
box. Unlocking it, she took out millions
Of dollars worth Of bonds, which she showed
the trustees. Then, replacing them, she
said:
Those SO cuTities furnish the income
Of the university, and Just as long as this
right hand can turn mat key shall cut OF
the coupons and direct the spending Of the
money"
There are very few universities in the
country where the women stand upon so
exactly an equal footing with the men.
II any favoritism is shown it IL toward tho
women. In all universities the male stu
dents take their cue on this question from
the president and professors, and at Stan
ford the faculty are almost unanimously
n favor Of coeduoation.
Great surprise and disappointment we're
felt, therefore, when In 1900 the announce
pent was made that the number OF women
students at any one time thereafter would
10 limited 10 500. The whole number Of
students then was about 100. In response
70 a flood Of protests, DR.. Jordan subse-
quently issued the following statement:
This rule was not established lecause
II any opposition TO women or 10 the prin-
oiple Of ooeducation, which the university
fully indorses. The action Is In accordance
with a promise made TO Mr., Stanford.
"He was anxious that the institution
should be partly technical and partly gradu-
ate in character, subordinating the college
work and general culture courses TO the
higher and more specialized work. At
the beginning Mr. Stanford was opposed
% the admission of women, not as women,
but because he was afraid that they would
tend 20 dStract from the specialized and
technical aims Of the institution, az the
demands ofSwomen students are more
distinctly in the line Of general culture
Mrs. Stanford, on the other hand, from
the first favored the admission Of women,
but promised her husband that Il the num-
Ter ever increased 80 as TO afeCt the charac-
ter Of the university she would consent to
a limitation Of it, In accordance with this
PROMISE when the number Of women
reached 500, OF a little more than one-third
of the total number, Mrs. Stanford felt
that II was necessary 20 fix limit and
this figure was selected.
IL will be seen by this statement that il
Is TO Mrs. Stanford that women owe the
privilege Of being admitted at all, and that
fact must soften the resentment felt against
this limitation. Il certainly does seem,
however, that the desired object might have
been accomplished by providing that the
number OF women never should exceed the
number Of men, but TO restrict il 10 500
when the university may eventually have
600 or 1000 students, seems unne ces sary
II has not absolutely deprived any girl
IN California OF the neighbOring States Of
a college education, as the State University
at Berkeley offers opportunities in many
respects equal to those at Stanford but
Berkeley has the great disadyanta &c, for
women especially, oil Ia wing no dormitories,
and students have 10 get accommodations
where yer they can he FOUND.
Stanford also IL superior in It's buildings
and equipments, and It's degrees stand for
more IN the opinion Of the general public
q fter one gets away from the Pacific Coast.
The expenses Of the two Institutions are
a bout the same, but Stanford has the de-
cided advantage of being further away
from San Fran cisco and It's temptations.
Il Il very much 10 be hoped that il hes not
been made obligatory upon the trustees to
continue this Limitation indie definitely. Since
It has not been found necessary IN any other
Institution in the United States, why should
q DO so at StanfOrdp
II the women Of the Western States are
20 have the higher education their uni
versites must DO cOmplC tely coeducaional,
rs they have no wUmen's colleges, In fact
none Is 10 be found west ~ Bryu Mawr.
There are boarding schools and semina-
ries, but not even these beyond the neigh
borhood OF the Mississippi River, except
ia California. Only four womens colleges
In tho entire United States rank with the first
class universities. These are crowded TO
their capacity and are very expensive,
50 for these two reasons alone they are
not available for girls in general
Even 10 think of duplicating the great
university plants in order to educate
wo nrn BapuTatelv is the height Of Gbsurdity.
A most all 81 them are more or less GRIP
Ned bv lack OF funds TO carry on their