Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-07-29
C0LlEGE GIRLS CAREERS
WHAT THIS YEARS GRADUATES
WILL UNDERTAKE.
Results Of Canvass Of Four Boston
1nstitutions-Young Women
Will Take Up Teaching.

From the Boston Transcript.
In the lives of thousands OF young men
and women June Is the most eventful
month of the year. for 1t marks the END
OF college life and the beginning of
career. The past month has been no ex-
ception. and according to newspaper &C
counts. the total number of this year
college graduates has exceeded that OF
any preceding year. 1t is generally
known and generally expected that col
lege men scatter to the four corners OF
the globe. into every occupation and pro-
fession known to the modern world But
We can speak with less generality and
less certainty of the hosts of college
woman graduates. Do they scatter to the
uttermost parts of the world, do they
crowd into every kind of business ana
profession?
Because of persistent statements which
have been especially prevalent the last
few years to the effect that college wom-
en- are forsaking beaten paths and are
rushing into business careers and all
sorts of odd and unusual occupations, IL
has been interesting to learn the inten-
tions of this years crop OF graduates. ~
has seemed fair to assume that the col
leges of Greater Observation-Disclosures, Rad
cliffe, Tufts and Boston University-tak-
en- as whole. would be typical of any
similar group In any other section OF the
country. At any rate. the result OF the
investigation of this article is based
wholly upon these four institutions.
The total number of graduates from
these four schools, exclusive of those re-
ceiving masters degrees, was 44S. or this
number eight are graduates OF the med
ical departments, two from law and three
from dental. AS was to be expected,
Wellesley stood first in number of grad
yates CID. Boston University had the
next largest number (S3), Radcliffe 80 and
Tufts %.
Eighty Per Cent Have Positions.
In the case of each of these institutions
the persons interviewed have been deans,
professors, proctors or others officially
brought into close contact with the stu
dents. A large number of the graduates
also were seen in regard to the work
which they have, temporarily at least,
chosen for their career. without ex-
ception it has been asserted by those who
have been familiar with conditions OF
preceding years that 1909 has been espe-
cially favorable TO the placing of those
graduates who have sought positions.
The two preceding summers had proved
deserts of discoura cement to ambitious
graduates. for, because Of the general
business depression, occupations of every
kind showed mo help wanted. signs.
Every graduate facing a bread-earninS
summer in finding just the right opening.
but last year 1t was well into the winter
before many could get any sort of a foot
hold. This year something like 50 per
cent of the total number of graduates
who have planned to get into any kind
of work have already found positions.
This is certainly a refreshing bit of good
news. for there have been not a few
doleful representations of the speedy APP
proach of the day when college women
v1,,tt 1o ~lrn Thn Tor md f0r
college women seems yet to be in excess
of the supply!
Not Going Into Business.
Ten years ago it would have been as
serted unhesitatingly of woman college
graduates that the big majority went at
once from college into teaching. But If
1 have heard the statement once during
the past year 1 have heard it a hundred
times-that girls just fresh from college
are forsaking the teaching profession for
business career. Newspapers. maya
zines and newsmongers have SO filled our
minds with accounts of hen-raising,
restaurant-keeping. clerking college grad
yates that one could say without the
least hesitation that times have changed
and that the average college girl goes
in search of business career. But this
is absolutely not true-a thousand rumors
and assertions to the contrary notwith
standing. The great majority of those
college graduates who must or wish to
work Immediately upon graduation go
directly into school teaching-and chiefly.
of course. into high school teaching. In
general terms 50 per cent of the gradu-
ates Of this years class from Boston
University expect to teach and 90 per
cent have already secured positions tan
unusually large number stepping into
positions with four-figure salaries). AL
most IS per cent of Tufts graduates also
plan to become pedagogues. OF the
Wellesley class four-fifths of those who
expect to work at all have registered for
teaching positions, and of the Radcliffe
graduates practically all those who are
searching for positions Of any kind will
register or have registered for teaching
positions. OF these one-third have al
ready secured schools.