The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-02-17

/ Now the conference committees Hlus'
| come together again to deliberate, de-
bate and discuss. and the ordinance
| must start its difficult course to pas
sage all over again. At the momen
the outlook is anything but encour-
aging. But we commit our hopes, no,
wholly in despair, to the Offices of the
able committee representing this city
whose infinite patience, zeal and tact
through this long fight have heen such
as TO command our sincere admiration
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A wOMAN,s COLLEGE FOR VIRGINIA
Careful economy, with rctrenchment
wherever possible, is the keynote oI
the present legislative session: appro-
nriations for new causes. however com
rnendable in themselves, have little
chance. the states resources are lot
the moment strained to the fullest to
| take care OF institutions and move
ments already set going. But these
onsidcrations have no bearing on the
STROBE bill to establish State college
FOR women. which calls for the making
or MANS only and for not one penny
of money; and this bill ought to be
passed and passed with few dissenting
voices.
Apart from the college at Lynch
burg the State, liberal as 1T is toward
| the training of Its boys, is doing Moth
| ing for the higher education of wo-
men. In effect, it bids them be con-
! tent with what the high school teaches
them or II not content. leave Virginia
and pursue the quest for knowledge in
New York or Massachusetts. Yet these
| girls have naturally the same claim
upon the state that our boys have, and
the only bases upon which the State
could fairly refuse to provide for them
are that either they do not desire
higher education or that higher educa-
ton would be economically an unde-
sirahle thing for them. Neither o.
these suppositions is true, or will holt
water for a minute.
! Woman's whole relation to society
: was changed. permanently and prob
: ably more radically than all OF us yet
realize, when constantly increasing
/, numbers OF the sex entered the field
> of industry and became economically
independent. To-day some 5000, 900
women in the United States are earn
ing their daily bread. Woman the
breadwinner occupies quite different
position. and has quite different needs.
from woman the housekeeper OF
domestic drudge or This changed
position and these changed needs
it is right ana. necessary that the
State should take account. From
its point of view just the same
arguments that make it advantageous
to give college training to the
male brcadwinner make it equally adj
vantageous to do as much for the fe-
male breadwinner. A trained and
highly educated woman can earn more
money, do more and better work and
| be of more service to society than an
unframed and uneducated woman. And
at the same time-since the majority
of women are not in the wage-earnirg
4 classes--she will be better fitted to dis
| charge her fixed and eternal duties as
home maker, wife and mother.
That women want the opportunity
for higher education is as plain as
that they would be benefited by it
economically and socially. Here in
Virginia there is dearth Of direct
proof perhaps, because of the fact tina,
the woman's college is all but non.
existent. But there is very plain evi,
/, dence in our school system, where i;
is pointed out that three girls com
plete the high school course and grad
uate for every one hoy. We are told
that the Normal school at Harrison
burg is taxed beyond its capacity, ant
that moro than 100 young women have
J been turned away this year. The an
: alogy from other states, also Is mos
] instructive Barnard College, the wo
: mems annex of Columbia University
E was started twenty years ago Will
twenty-five students, and an income o
$1,000 year Last Year II enrolle,
! us students, graduating a class or 9S
and it now has an endowment fund o
between 100000 and s4cOoOoO, Mucl
the same story is to be found else
where, and ii viii be repeated here il
Virginia, as the chance is offered.
is not Imaginable that the State vii
e provide larger educational opportuni
: ties than Virginia women are read,
y ana waiting to take advantage Of,
3 Senator strode's bin simply direct
v the board of visitors Of the universit
: of Virginia TO prepare plans for build
$ ngs and equipment necessary to CIV
e college facilities for women under ia