New-York tribune., 1910-06-03
Mr.. TAFT ADDRESSES
BRyN MAWR GIRLS
Tells Them That Education Fits
Wives as Companions to
Their Husbands.
ALSO AIDS THE UNMARRIED
The President Loses Suitcase
and Has to Speak in Trav-
cling Clothes; Then Loses
His Overcoat

Philadelphia. June 2-Presidenf Taft de-
nvered the annual commencement day o'a-
ton to-day az Bryn Mawr College where
his daughter Helen is studer',
Taking for his subject Higher Educa-
ton for Women" the President declared
that college education does not detract
from the power Of woman 60 make go''l
eonlpanion or 10 train and teach chlldren'
while at the Same time il makes her inde-
pendent and IL she never meets the man
who can make her happy as a husband snt
can become an independent and usefui
member Of society.
President Taft reached herr shortly be
,o-. II o'clock from Washington. After
his arrival his suitcase. containing his cap
and gown. was mislsid. and he Tas ohligsd
Il, deliver his address clothed IN his taF-
cling suit
Ee left here late this afternoon for Ada.
Ohio where tomorrow forenoon he will
address the graduating class of the Ohio
Northern University.
The missing suitcase was discoNcre1
shortly before the President departure
hut after boarding the train he found thai
he had forgotten his overcoat- secret Ser
vice men made a hurried cearch for ire
missing garment. but We're unable TO re-
co,er II before the departure If the tram
for tie West.
A. the commencement exercises Miss NJ.
Carey Thomas president Of the college. al
-ounced tfat the fund Of SSSe."0O required
70 he raised by to-day in ordFr to OBTAIN
che $3.50 600 pronnised b1 the General Edu-
cation Board had been completed; in fact
had been oversubscribed by $4,000. while
further pledges Of s1i.o0O had been mace
by telegraph and telephone IN case they
were needed.
Mr. Taft's Speech.
President TAFT in his address TO the
graduates spoke IN part as follows:
Young ladies cf the graduating class:
Your able and distinguished president mas
asked me al this commencement 10 say
,or17e+hinc ia respect to the higher educa-
zion Of women. II Is. Of course. thehe
most relevant and germane to me ocoso a.
sion hut il is one Of which hesitate 10
sneak in the presence of those VINO nave
made n their life study and whose opln-
ions in regard to the matter are OF so much
more real weight than my own
The mary ellous progress in material ana
other WAYS made by the world IN the nine I
feenth century is only less wonderful than
TIE ease and ra pdity with which We forget
the steps in the progress. the dlfncuIues IN
SIS attainment. and the conditions thal eA-
listed prior 10 its coming
The President reviewed the advances
made in educational adv antages for both
teNeS since 4SRh. ItNllAllE Ai4t N4e"N- ~ --0
The two small schools in Pennsylvania that
offered Opportunity for even grammar
school education for girls in that year 20
the magnificent colleges Of the present day.
turning out women capable OF teaching In
its highest form. Continuing. the Presi-
dent said:
dissent from the view that aca-
deraic education units a man or woman
1or business. Il may be that the tastes
that lead one 10 an academic educauon
ar. not those which insure business sue
cess: but that the mental discipline the
pcper Of reasoning. the cultivation and
comparison OF ideas. are not OF asslstnce
in business transactions in which the high |
eSt Qualities Of ;he mind are acutely in ac- |
ton can hardly he true
but Il is said that women are not all |
going into the professions and so that the
education necessary as basis for pro
women who have a competency or wne
look forward 10 marriage and motherhood
as the chief end Of woman
conpanionship Chief Charm.
II Is even suggested that the higher edu-
cation of women rather UNITS them 10 dis /
charge the duties % wife and mother:
that in some way or other IL robs them OF
q charm and gives them an intellectual in /
dependence that. is inconsistent with their 4
being tho best wives and mothers. ! ut |
terly dissent from this view. The com
panionehip OF married ife is the chief
charm and reason for its being. SO far as
II TelGAeS u INC AND l1lSOAS toi4Ntli.,-.'-
The enjoyment CT the home. with child
ren. and tho training of them are. OF
course, among .he most Important duties
and PLEASURES Of married life: and II Ger
tainly does not detraCt from the power OF
q woman to make a good companion or TO
seaCh and train hCr children up TO high
IDEALS that she should have the advantage
Of the higher education. II is not essential I
that woman who knows much must con- /
fOrm 10 the unattTaCtive manner and WAYS /
Of tho conventional blucstOCking: that she /
should make the extent cf her knowledge 4
q source of discomfort TO these with whom /
tEe associates. Or t1at she Snouid lose hey !
Interest in The sentiment and emotions of /
life. fail TO have an appreciation oi I
beauty and romance.
' am quite ready 10 COncede that mar /
rlace and motherhood are normal status 4
for oman. and other things being equal /
sne is happier in that condition than in /
any other. But this Is far from saying 1
that zornan'S life is a failure because 4
she has rol married. and that her life may
NOT he failure bTCause she has married /
The hcmC and the family are the nucleus /
a the highest happiness. but il circun- !
ftsnoeS are such as to force women TO ac- /
Cept husbands ahom they do not respect 1
ard love. anu when they would not marry /
EXCEPT 10 escape a lie Of poverty. the /
mgdel or 20 furnish an ideal
one o. the great advantages of the !
judgment. If in the Independence that IL 1
Fiyes her in the choice Of the kind of life /
which she IS 10 lead.
Salaries Of Teachers.
IN the profession 4 teaching the women 1
ALREADY hs,- the advantage over men in 4
point Of numbers. II is true that they do {
not receive the same compensation as men !
co not know how this can lie remedied i
! presume ti'at The salaries received are 4
affected b. the same Law as that which I
controls prices IT, other markets to vii
Tho law of supply and demand: and as
there are more female teachers than male I
teachers. ana as The common opinion is in !
many institutions that there ought 10 be !
come men teachers, tho men receive higher
salaries
r-e cannot be hind 20 the general move /
rrent IN favor OF opening more and r,o-e