The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-06-02
President Taft Addresses Stu
dents at Bryn MaWr
On the Subject Of Higher Edu-
cation for Women.
DISSENTS FROM VIEW.
That 1t Disqualifles Them for
HOmemaking.
1t Tends to Enhance Pleasures
OF Married Life.
DISSENTS FROM VIEW.

favored the higher education OF women
and said ne utterly dissented from the
suggestion that higher education rath-
er units them for the duties OF a wiee
and mother. One Of the great advan-
tages Of the higher educa ton for a wo-
man. the president said. is the indie
pendence that II gives her in the choice
in the kind of life which she is to lead
The president upon arriving at the
college was enthusiastically received by
the faculty, the students and their
friends
After greeting his daughter. Helen
who is a student at Bryn Mawr and
will be graduated next year, the presi-
dent with Miss NJ Carey Thomas. pres
i6ent OF the college. led the procession
from Taylor hall to the cloister garden
where. under an immense awning, the
commencement exercises were held
The presidents endorsement OF
higher education for women was greet
ed with a storm Of handclapping.
During the exercises it was an
nounced that the college had more
than made uo the S3SO.OOO required
in order to receive the S25O.0OO TO
Bryn Mawr by the general education
board.
Mr.. Taft was entertained at lunch
con at the deanery after the exercises
The president spent the afternoon at
late IN the day
The Presidents Address.
The president spoke in part as fol-
lows:
your president has asked me at this
commencement to say something in re-
spect to the higher education OF women
It is. OF course, a theme most relevant
and germane to the occasion, but II IS
one Of which 1 hesitate TO speak in the
presence Of those who have made II
their life study and whose opinions IN
regard TO the matter are OF so much
more real weight than my own"
The president reviewed the advances
made in educational advantages Tor
both sexes since 1900
Continuing he said:
I dissent from q view that an
academic education units a man or
woman for business II may be that
the tastes that lead one to academic
education are not those " hich insure
business success. but that the mental
discipline. the power of reasoning, the
cultivation and comparison of ideas, are
not Of assistance in business transac-
tfons in which the highest quality Of
mind is acutely in action, can hardly
be true
But it is said that women are not
all going into the professions and 50
that the education necessary as a basis
for professional career IS not needed
bv those women who have a COM
TarEUCE or LO0k TOFWdTQ 10 marriage anu
motherhood as the chief end Of woman
It is even suggested that the higher
education of women rather units them
70 discharge the duties Of wife and
mother that in some way or other II
robs them Of a charm and gives them
an intellectual independence that Is in
consistent with their being the best
wives and mothers utterly dissent
from this view. The compa anionship OF
married life is the chief charm and
for heir relates
to the two persons concerned The en-
joyment Of the home. with the children
and the training of them are OF course
among the most important duties ana
pleasure Of married life and it certain
" does not detract from the power OF
q woman to make a good companion or
to teach and train her children up to
high ideals that she should have the
advantage Of the higher education Il
IS not essential that a woman who
knows much must conform to the un-
attractive manner and ways OF the con-
ventionaI blueStocking; that Sne snOuld
make the extent OF her knoWledge
source Of discomfort to those with
whom she associates or that she should
lose her interest in the sentiment and
emotions OF life or fail TO have an ap-
probation Of beauty and romance
Woman's Normal status.
''I am quite ready to concede that
marriage and motherhood are a nor
mai status for woman and. other
things being equal, she fS happier IN
that condition than in any other But
this IS far from saying that a woman
life fs 2 failure because she has not
married and that her life NAV not be
z failure because she has married
The home and the family are the nu-
cIeus Of the highest happiness, but II
circumstances are such as 10 rorce
women to accept husbands whom they
do not respect and love and whom
they would not marry except to es-
cane 4 life of poverty. the home and
the family are not likely 20 be model
or to furnish an ideal
zone OF the great advantages Of the
higher education for woman. in my
Judgment is in the independence that
II gives her in the choice Of the kind
Of life which she is to lead
Difference in Salaries
'sIn the profession of teaching the
women already have the advantage
over men in point OF numbers It IS
true that they do not receive the same
conversation as men, do not know
how this can be remedied I presume
that the salaries received are affected
bv the same law as that which con-
trolls prices in other markets. to-wft:
The law of supply and demand, and
as there are more female teachers
than male teachers, and as the com
mon opinion is in many institutions
ers the men receive higher salaries.
I'VE can not be blind to the gen
eraI movement in favor of opening
more and more occupations not de-
pendent on physical strength to the fe-
male sex
'I do not think we can estimate the
enormous advantage that the present
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