New-York tribune., 1906-10-12
CO-EDUOATION.

The Importance of the action of the author
tiles Of the University of Chicago in moving
| for a separation, both social and academic, Of
| the sexes in that institution should not be
overestmated by either the advocates the
| opponents OF cO-education. 1t is. In fact, so
/ slight TO be almost insignificant, despite the
! commanding size and rank OF the institution
concerned. It IS understood that the step Is
taken on grounds Of administrative policy alone,
and not through necessity imposed or suggested
/ by any untoward incident any ominous de-
velopment of the system which has hitherto
prevailed The only specific reason given thus
far for the change is that less publicity is de-
sired for the university. That is q desire with
which judicious observers will sympathlze, for
there is no doubt that, for no fault Of its own
that university has been sensatlonaly exploited
in way not conducive to good The fantastic
tales OF the dOings Of It's students and the say
ings Of its instructors which have been invented
and circulated have been numerous and, we
doubt not, annoying Whether the much desired
abatement of them will be secured by the change
of policy now adopted IS question which time
and experience alone can answer.
The arguments for and against co-educattOn
remain where they were and where they have
been ever since Horace Mann went to Yellow
Springs. Examples on both sides abound.
Some Of the best colleges in America are ex-
D
hand, some of the best not only in the West
but in the East, have long practised some form
of co-educatiOn with approved success. Perhaps
the whole question Is best to be regarded chiefly
as one of individual temperament. There are
many young men and young women who prefer
in college life to associate chiefly with their
own sex. and TO seek or TO receive the compan-
ionship Of the other sex as an external excep-
ton TO the ordinary routine. Other1 as reason
ably and legitimately prefer that daily min
Cling of the sexes in the ordinary activities of
life which prevails normally in the family and in
non-academic society. We cannot perceive that
either side has cause to cast the contumelious
stone at the other.
The really important question is not whether
the sexes shall cave co-education per se but
whether they shall have that approximate equal
ity Of education or of educational opportunities
which ii was formerly assumed could be Sc
cured only through co-educaton. It was to Sc
cure for women emancipation from Mrs. Mala-
props curriculum, and to secure for them equal
educational advantages with men, at least as
much as to have them educated In the same
institution with men. that Horace Mann
labored at Antioch College. Co-education
was not in Itself the end at which he aimed
but the means TO the true end. which was the
higher education of women. There had not then
been developed the separate colleges for women
which now exist with curricula comparable
with those Of the best mems colleges, and In
which is largely realized the aim of the co-edu.
cationaliSts of two or three generations ago
Much Of that aim is also realized in those instt.
tutions. which include some of the foremost In
the land, which conduct colleges for women
part pGS8u with those for men, under the same
general control, but in all other respects and de-
tails entirely separate-the system which we
understand, Is now TO be practised at Chicago.
These distinct classes Of institutions have long
existed, and have enjoyed much prosperity and
success and they will doubtless continue TO do
So quite regardless of the changing of an indi-
vidual institution from one class to another.