The San Francisco call., 1910-06-03
GIRL GRADUATES
AT BRYN MAWR
listen TO TAFT
President Tells Them Why He
Is in Favor of Education
for Women
Gives Them independence and
Makes Them intellectually
Fit for WifehOOd

Taft today delivered the annual COM
mencement day oratiOD at Bryn Mawr
college, where his daughter, Helen, is
r student Taking for his subject,
higher Education for Women" the
president said that college education
certainly does not detract from the
power Of p woman to make a good
companion nor TO train or teach chill
dren. while at the same time ii makes
her independent, and If she never meets
the man who can make her happy as
husband she can become an independent
and useful member Of society,"
CAP AND GOWN MISSING
President Taft reached here shortly
before II o'clock After his arrival
his suitcase containing his cap and
gown was ulislaid and he was obliged
20 deliver his address wearing his
travelling suit. He left at o'clock for
Ada. o. where tomorrow morning he
viii address the graduating class Of
the Ohio Northern university.
The missing suitcase was discovered
shortly before the presidents depart
sIre. but after boarding the train he
found that he had forgotten his over
coat Secret service men made g hur-
ried search for the missing garment,
but were unable TO recover 1t before
the departure of the train for the west.
Al the commencement exercises Miss
IL Carey Thomas. president of the col
leEe, announced that the fund of $780,
600 required 10 be raised by today in
order 10 secure the S35O.0O0 promised
by the general education board had
been secured--in fact had been over
subscribed by $4,000. while further
pledges Of 81 .00O had been made by
telegraph and telephone in case they
were needed
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 student at Bryn Mawr and will
he era dusted next year. the president,
with Miss IL Carey Thomas, president
of the college, led the procession from
Taylor aau 10 the clOister garden,
where. under an immense awning, the
commencement exercises were held.
President Taft, in his address to the
graduates. spoke in part as follows:
Your president has asked me at
this commencement to say some
thing in respect TO the higher edu-
cation Of women 1t is, of course,
a theme most relevant and ger
name 10 the occasion, but it is one
of which I hesitate TO speak in the
presence of those who have made
II their life study and whose opin-
ions in regard TO the matter are
'of so much more real weight than
my own.
ADVANCEMENT REVIEWED
The president reviewed the advances
made in educational advantages for
both sexes since 1900
Continuing. the president said;
I dissent from the view that an
academic education units q man
OF woman for business. 1t may be
that the tastes that lead one to an
academic education are not those
which insure business success, but
that the mental discipline. the pow
er Of reasoning, the cultivation and
comparison OF ideas are not Of as
sistsnce in business transactions in
which the highest quality Of mind
are acutely in action, can barely
be true
But it is said that women are not
all going into the professions and
SO that the education necessary as
e basis for a professional career is
not needed by those women who
have competency OF. look forward
TO marriage and motherhood as the
chief ends Of woman
II IS even suggested that the
higher education Of women rather
units them TO discharge the duties
Of wife and mother that in some
way or other 1t robs them of
tual Independence that is incon-
sistenL with their being the best
wives and mothers.
COMPANTONSHIP a CHARM
utterly dissent from this view.
The compa aniOnship of married life
is the chief charm and reason for
its being. so far as it relates to the
two persons concerned. The enjoy
ment Of the home, with children
and the training Of them are, OF
course. among the most important
duties and pleasures Of married
life. and II certainly does not de-
tract from the power Of a woman
10 make good companion or to
teach and train her children up TO
high ideals that she should have
the. advantage Of the higher edu-
cation.
II is not essential that woman
who knows much must conform to
the unattrs ctive manner and ways
of the conventional blue stocking:
that she should make the extent of
her knowledge a source of discom-
Tort TO those with whom she asso-
.. ciates, or that she should lose her
interest in the sentiment and emo
ticns Of life or fail TO have an ap-
probation Of beauty and romance
] an quite ready to concede that
marriage and motherhood are a
normal status for woman, and,
other things being equal, she is
happier IN that condition than in
any other. But this is far from
saying that 2 woman's life is
failure because she has not mar
A4EUr dLu Lldl uef ire may nor be
failure because she has married
The home and the family are the
nucleus Of the highest happiness
but II circumstances are such as to
force women to accept husbands
whom they do not respect and love,
and whom they would not marry
except to escape a life OF poverty.
the home and the family are not
likely 10 be q. model or to furnish
an ideal.
GIVES INDEPENDENCE
One OF the great advantages of
the higher education for women
IN my Judgment is in the independ-
ence that il gives her In the choice
OF kind Of life which she is to lead.
In the profession Of teaching the
women already have the advantage
over men IN point Of numbers. 1t
Is true that they 10 not receive the
same compensation as men. ! do
not Know how this can be rene
died. ] presume that the salaries
received are affected by the same
law as that which controls prices
IN other markets, to wit:
The law OF supply and demand.
ana as there are more female
teachers than male teachers, and
IS the common opinion is in many
institutions that there ought to be
some men teachers the men receive
higher salaries.
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