Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1907-04-12
Women and the College.
Harper's w eekly. |

Despite the many beautiful and prot
porous colleges for women all over thi
country, it is still a question in man
parental minds whether or not a col
ege education is woman's best preI
aration for life. There is fairly pre-
valent idea that college women too of
ten develop the intellect at the expens
of the sympathies, that they set ments
standards which are higher than the1
husbands have leisure to reach. or
worse. that, wanting better bread thar
can be made out of wheat, they refrair
from marriage altogether The higher
education too often leads ill., 10 to choose
a life of fself-exploitation. and to pur-
sue callings which ultimately may,
and very likely will, play them false.
| and leave them lonely and embittered
in world where the fullest happiness
is to be found in beneficent human re-
lations.
While all this is, on the face of it,,
possible. there is great deal to be said
on the other side. 1t is true that a
thoro education disciplines the emo
tions. If it discipline them away alto
gether it does an irremediabIe injury.
Ii, however, it merely controls the SEN
timentality of youth by training judg.
ment, it is an effective force for good
Life will bring out the sympathies of
those who have them sooner or later,
and to be delivered from the sentiment.
al ebullitlons of girlhoOd is not so ap-
paling matter after all.
There seems to be no doubt that the
chief weakness of the feminine mind,
as differentiated. from the masculine,
is to see lile personally. A woman,
more than man, is encountered by
herself and hedged by limitations. She
cannot, by the inherent nature of
things, take so many risks or lead so
a life as man. and her
education is. therefore, matter not of
less but of greater moment. She must
have tborogoing knowledge, because.
LEES than man, can she afford q wrong
reaction. Her interests must be wild
ened, even more carefully than man g.
because shesis less likely to be broaden |
ed by life.
College if it does nothing else should |
Icy the foundation for more abstract |
interests and intelligent Judgments. |
II it hardens the sympathies it cannot |
be because tits too high or too thoro,
out because it is too slight and too
superficial. Any education that puffs
1 person up about his own attainments
g poors education. Any education
hat allows person to think be can
'eally gain by another's loss, or ag
srandize himself by another's fall, or
in any way separate his interests from
;he general interests of the race. is
uperficial and inadequate education,
it be gotten at a finishing
chool or at college. If colleges turn
'ut women of defective sympathies and
elish instincts it Is not their pursuit
# learning that effect this. IntelIec-
ual training in and for itself cannot
'e other than beneficial. The free
ON, the independence, the fact of be-
ng thrown upon her own resources at
critical age should all prepare girl
or wise government of her own house.
old and intelligent civic helpfulness.
1t is difficult to believe that higher
ducatiOn units woman for house
old management or motherhood, Z
ince to these two functions the most
ighly trained faculties are necessary, !
specially in these days when social
0nditions are changing rapidly. and I
1hen the domestic problem is in a |
tate of uncomfortable upheaval. 1t
J not less intelligence and training,
nut more aud wiser. that is needed to ,
leet the new conditions.
1t is, therefore, ca use for rejoicing {
ather than doubt, that the women's
olleges of this country are to be multi
lied and more heavily endowed
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