Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1912-11-08

Woolley's stand Is at such direct va
rance with the glowing stories pub
lished In the many women's maya
zines that she was requested to give
her reasons for thus disagreeing with
the optimistic views on the question.
In the following exclusive interview
Miss Woolley said:
"Snobbery is not at the root Of my
attitude, which, by the way, is being
taken by the majority Of the women's
colleges, but a conviction that no girl
can we'll serve two masters-her col
lege and her pocketbook.
Before go into my reasons for
taking so firm stand on this ques-
ton, let me tell you something of the
place that Mount HoiJoke holds in the
college world. Theh you can see why
my stand seems so radical. The i'm
preston seems to obtain throughout
the country that this college was
founded for the poo' girl, that 1t was
to be a college where girl could
give service in return for an advanced
education. This was not the case and
it most certainly is not the case today.
I'VE are celebrating our seventy
fifth anniversary thik week, and we
find that the high aost of living, Of
which the world in general complains,
is affecting all departments Of our col
lege life. The girl of today has to
have a great deal more money than
those early girls needed. If 1t was un-
wise for the girl Of 1887 to work her
way when she needed but two hun
dred dollars, is 1t not trebly unwise
for the girl of 1912 to try to do so
when she needs six or perhaps seven
hundred dollars?
There are more opportunities, you
say, for the girl to make money. Yes,
but, alas, there are more girls for
those opportunities. When opportu-
nifty knocks on the door today there
are frequently twenty eager girls
rushing to open it. With the growth
of fortunes and incomes our problems
have increased rather than lessened.
Il have several specifis reasons for
my attitude on the work question.
One is the small amount that girl
Is paid for her labor-15 cents an
hour or less! Work demands a GER
tain amount Of physical labor. We
have reduced the house service very
greatly and will, perhaps, do away
with it entirely before long. At pres
ent the girls make their beds, wash
silver and the glasses, and wait on the
tables. These duties take about thirty
minutes out of the day. Then our
physical requirements are increasing
each year, and think they are OF the
utmost Importance Gynasium work
is insisted upon throughout the whole
course, and the seniors are required
to report four periods of outdoor ex.
ercise weekly.
Back of this work question is the
question of what a college education
means. II it means just book knowl-
edge. the memorizing of facts and the
solving Of scientific and mathematical
problems. then girl might work and
still keep up with her classes, without
injury to herself.
But college means so much more;
1t means culture in the best sense of
the word. A broadening outlook on
life. a quickening of the senses. It
means social pleasures and the forma-
ton OF friendship.
I'VE never help poor students. We
give scholarships to girls that prove
their ability and who give promise of
being a credit to their alma mater.
These scholarships range from fifty to
one hundred dollars and only reduce
the cost OF the tuition, not the board"