The new era. (Walden, Colo.) 1906-19??, 1907-08-22

Professional School. Pedagogy.
Copyright. by Joseph B. Bowles)
(Miss Mary E. woolley. president of
Mount Holyoke college. was graduated
from Brown university in 1884. and after
she has published articles on historical
subjects In the Brown Maga.Ine, the
periodicals. For five years she was a
member of the faculty of Wellesley col.
sSs at the head nS Of the she boz
came president of Mount Holyoke college
in 1900. In the autumn OF 1901 Miss Wool
nection with the universities of England
and Scotland)
A sketch describing the opening OF
the University of Edinburgh to women
says: 1.-The almost universal extern
sion of university privileges to women
has been one of the most distinctive
notes of the last quarter-century."
The opening of opportunities for the
higher education Of women has indeed
been distinctive note in the history of
the last % or so years. and every year
increases the number Of those who
avail themselves OF these privileges.
The progress has been most marked in
the United States, and the increase In
numbers far greater than in any other
country, an increase due in part to the
fact that so many institutions are open
to women and SO many forms of edu-
cation are possible. Coeducation, the
affiliated college and the separate
woman's college offer wide opportun-
Go ohDf hoc {fG
peculiar advantages. The college aftil-
lated with an old university has ac-
cess to its accumulated treasures OF
libraries and equipments without the
necessity for coeducation. to which so
many friends of higher education OBJ
ject The coeducational institution as
sures to its students the best instruc-
ton of the university and the stimulus
which comes from contact with the
masculine minds and their different
points of view, and the separate wom-
ans college has the advantage of
more distinctive life and courses and
equipments planned especially for her.
The last form of college is an Amer
lean institution and has no counter
part In England. The Royal Holloway
college at .Egham. Surrey. approaches
perhaps most nearly to the American
conception, In that 1t is not situated
in a university town and has its own
resident Of lecturers, but its work is
to prepare for the Oxford or the Uni
versity of London examinations and 1t
grants no degree of its own.
The first impression which the OBJ
server of the English system of higher
education for women receives Is that
of the close affiliation Of the college
with the university. 1t is not strange
that Oxford and Cambridge are words
by which to conjure; with the intel
lectual prestige of centuries, with their
halo of famous names and great
achievements, 1t IS easy to understand
the hold which they have and why 1t
is so difficult for the English to COM
prehend our system and the value of
the degree conferred by college
standing alone and on Its own merits.
An Englishman of wide knowledge
and Of marked intelligence, to whom
I had described the location Of Mount
Holyoke college as very near Yale uni
versity and Smith and Amherst col
leges. observed: Il suppose, then, that
they all receive the Yale degree!"
There are certain advantages in the
university system. The college en-
tiers into q rich heritage, and If culture
ia something more than a shibboleth,
that of the university town is not to be
underestimated. Not only is there the
education which comes from contact
with men the fame of whose learning
ia worldwide, and from access to IL
braries, museums and laboratories
whose treasures have been accumulat-
ing for generations and even for CEN
turtles. but also that which Is as the
very atmosphere of the place. The
eye Is charmed, the mind stimulated
and the imagination quickened by the
beauty Of the surroundings. Even
more powerful than the aesthetic and
artistic influences are those which
come from the memories of great men
and their achievements. England is
not slow to recognize and commemor-
ate heroism and genius. and the men,
DRY of noble living and of high think
ing fingers in its university halls as
an inspiration to the student life Of
to-day. which still feels the touch OF
the vanished hand and hears the
sound OF the voice that is still.
Into this rich Inheritance the wom-
ans college of England and Scotland
has entered. In Scotland three Of the
universities-Edinbu Aberdeen and
st. Andrew's-admit women on the CO.
educational basis: the fourth Glasgow
tas woman's college. Queen Marga-
eet's, in afiliation. In England the
woman's college has developed in gen.
erai from the amalgamation Of "asso-
Citations providing lectures for women
and those providing halls Of residence
Tor women attending the lectures.