The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-11-14

Vo1th anu earning power are, to the
popular mind. The
teacher as she was REGARDED in New
England a generation ago, and as she
Is now looked upon in New York.
shows how public opinion has re-
Versed Itself. Then it was a calling OF
high distinction that conferred an en-
We'd social position; its fondest admir-
ers could hardly say tina Of it now"
DO you think the fiftv years of
woman's colleges have justified them
sefFes?"
In raising he general level of in
teinsenee among women-yes- we
do not turn out geniuses. Tha
many cf the formost women in
art. science. literature and pub
lice administrative work are not
college graduates. I realize, too, that
the college woman is bookish in her
point Of view. placing an estimate on
book-knowledge out Of proportion to
its value in life"
And that only SO per ZEN of them
marry-how do you get over that?"
b. h answering statistic hat no
on thinks Of quoting-that only I per
cent arc divorced. And there again /
think college education for women
has indicated itself triumphantiy.
College women do not marry as rash
~ as other ONE They are older
Inc deliberate. But when they do
marry. they stick and bring up their
children in an harmonious home.
They have Intelligence, balance and
poise, SO when the domestic crises
come in their lives, they face them
calmly and adjust them, so the home
remains intact instead of being broken
up. Any training that gives that pow
er to g woman is highly justifiable,
even(if it does not put her foremost
anon the Who's Great
Il believe that if a girl has fair in
t~e1igence, she need not be necessarily
brilliant or even intellectual, college
training Is going to round out hat in
telligence to greater usefulness. II,
however. she has marked artistic tai
ent and ambition. if her desire is to
be a painter, sculptor or novelist, then
n fonr years could be better spent
IN the exclusive study Of her special
line or in gaining experience by work
directly in tt. l don't think That col
ieSe training makes q woman a great
er actress or story writer; as essayist
and investigator or editor Of classics,
I deem it invaluable.
"The present tendency Of girls grad
uatlng from college is to go into other
fields than teaching. To aid them to
turn to newer, and for many more
~congenial. work several bureaus have
been established in Boston and New
York. where the aspirations and fit
ness OF the candidates are looked into.
AT present this work is only in the ex-
perimental stage.
Some Of the girls on leaving col
lege are going into nursing. not with
h idea Of merely remaining a nurse,
but with the we11-founded hope Of
getting to be the head of an institu-
ton. Their college and special pro-
fessional training ought to send them
to the top. Others are learning stem
ography that they may compete for
important secretarial work. The
scholarly girl Of exceptional brilliancy
we try to keep with us and make a
scholar Of her by post graduate and
foreign study; it is 8 long road to
travel. but a delightful one.
Il have never felt it Cumbersome,
though I have never left Barnard.
since I graduated in 1893, except for
| post graduate work at Oxford. I was
q student, instructor, professor there.
before I became the dean. I Low my
work. I liked the subject I specialized
in, but l like more the young girls l
have in charge. | want my hand to
show in these important moulding
years, and they keep me freshly en-
thusiastic. Enthusiasm is as essential
to our work as to the artist Suppose
| we do live in books-the best Of life
| is there. And It you know the past
better than the present. it Is only be-
| ing more closely acquainted with the
father than the child.
There is nothing Of the ~c1oister
| about the college Of today. It reflects
life instead Of shutting the door on it
and timidly seeking secIusion to fac
ing It's issues. 1 mir a woman's col
| lege that is affiliated with a great uni
versity. like Barnard is to Columbia
and Radcliffe to Harvard. the best So
luton Of the woman college problem.
With such an arrangement. the wom-
| en- students have equal privileges with
| the men. except in law n medicine.
I don't believe in women going off all
by themselves to study during the
best years OF their youth with Older
women, whose lives have always been
lived away from the rougher currents
Of existence. I think n>nn and women
ought to mingle in their student days
as freely as they will in life. Il col
lege is a preparation for life, then
every element in real life must pe
found within it's walls"
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