Evening journal., 1910-04-18
CO-EDUCTION
FOR DELAWARE
Is Advocated in Paper Read
Before College by John
W. Ennis
SPEAKER BELIEVES
PLAN IS WORTH WHILE
Special to THE EVENING JOURNAL.

College on last Thursday by John W.
Ennis. H. Mr.. Ennis made a plea for CO.
education at Old Delaware. saying as
follows;
1T IS not generally known by the aver
age person that Delaware is the only |
state In this broad land of ours that has
no provision for tho higher education OF
its girls. Delaware. one Of the thirteen |
original states. the first state 10 ratify the
constitution forming the Federal Union. |
this old populous prosperous common
wealth stands as a lone heggar asking
her sister states TO care for the educa-
tion Of her girls. The chief cause OF this
condition Of affairs Is the presence on
all sides Of colleges which Delaware wo-
men may attend. These colleges blind
our people to the need Of a home college
and to every girl unable 20 attend one OF
these outside colleges. they make a college
education impossible.
Among the most convenient and popu-
lar colleges for Delaware girls are Bryn
Mawr al Bryn Mawr. Pa. Wilson College.
at Chambersburg Pa. the Woman's Col
iege OF Balumoreat Baltimore, Md. and
few others AZ ,ilson College the cX-
penses for board. tuition and room rent
alone are $500 a year; AZ the Woman's
College of Baltimore. $3.50, and az Bryn
Mawr $500. These figures by no means
cover all expenses. The average girl at
tending these colleges spends from 400
TO $1,000 per year and has excellent
opportunities TO mako her expenses much
greater. number OF Delaware girls are
able TO secure an education from these
colleges. but there arc a much greater
number who cannot afford an education
under such conditions. II Il IN behalf
OF this latter class that We would advo-
cate an institution IN our state which
would place within tho reach Of every
Delaware glrl Of moderate means a llh-
eral education.
Is il Worth While7
"The question hero arises. Is II inn
portant that tho average girl OF to-day
should receive a college education There
was a time when this question would
have boon answered in the negative but
that time IS past. Tho great experienced
educator. Matthew Vassar. who founded
Vassar college, tho FIRST exclusive wo-
mans college In the world has given us
some excellent ideas on this subject. In
giving his reasons for founding the coll
lego which bears his name Mr.. Vassar
says;
cit occurred TO me that woman having
received from her creator the same intel
iectual constitution ~ man --- the same
lrightSas man TO intellectual culture and
development
II consider that the mothers Of a coun.
3 try mold the character Of it's citizens. de-
termine It's institutions and shape It's des
tiny.
1T also seems TO me that IL woman wer
properly educated some new avenues 4
! useful and honorable employment Nigh
be opened to her.
"And now influenced by these and sim
liar considerations. after devoting M,
best powers 10 the study Of tho subject foi
years. after duly Weighing the objection,
against it and the arguments that prepon.
derato in its favor I have come TO thS
conclusion that the establishment and en-.
dowment Of college for the education
of young women is a work which Will
satisfy my highest aspirations ard win be
under God, a rich blessing to this city ana
State to our country and the world.
These convincing statements show
clearly tho attitude OF Mr.. Varsar toward
the education of our young women.
Many other prominent and experienced
educators have expressed these same
views and have agreed that a college edu.
cation Is certainly essential. II not neces.
sary to the highest development Of oui
young women. II is by no means true
however. that only college women possess
those peculiar traits and characteristics
which go to make up womanly woman
There are numerous young women who
have never attended college who from
their inherent nature and their acute sense
OF propriety. outrank many Of our college
graduates I'm womanly accomplishments
But had these same young women enioyc,
, tho privilege Of a college training, thei
present accomplishments would have beer
- greatly increased. There Is no reason VIII,
the same Influences which raise man from
his natural state Of savageness win no
q tend to perfect the noble and beautiful II
Y woman. All other things being equal, th
woman with the superior educationa
I training attains more easily and ap
proaches more nearly the ideal state o
, perfect womanhood
''with this high aim Of perfect woman
hood IN view, We now come to the prob
, lem Of how we shall best provide for th
education OF Delaware girls. The thre
most important Of a number OF proposes
. solutions for this problem are:
First the establishment Of an inde
e pendent college for girls somewhere II
j Delaware
Second. a renewal Of co-education a
( Delaware College.
o Third, the establishment Of a woman
e college affiliated with Delaware College
! "An independent college would be b,
j far the best solution to the problem bu
the establishment OF such an Institution
: at present is impractical because of fl
great expense. During the last few years
! co-education at Delaware College has bee
advocated by a number Of able men. Sine
. there Is always more or less dissatisfac
!, ton in such institutions the adoption O
Co-education at Delaware seems hardl
!. advisable. except as a final resort II ther
( were no better plan, co-education woul
certainly be preferable to no education.
d Outlines Plan.
!, Under preseue-eonditions the best pa
seems to be tho establishment OF a co
e lege for women affiliated with Delawal
p College. BY affiliated. we mean an entire
separate college. governed by tile san
trustees, with the same president. and
: far as possible with the same faculty. b
'e tween the students Of the two colleg
,r there would be no more relation ths
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