Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1912-02-29

mas long since passed through
the experimental stage and
now stands indicated rs Il wise edu-
readily agree that coeducatiOn no
longer needs vindication. not few
still entertain somewhat hazy notions
as III precisely what sort of lives the
girls live at coeducatlonal schools
When the subject OF coeducation j.
mentioned they are apt TO think Of n
small body OF girls surrounded by II
large body of men and cOnjure up i'm
womanhood as the one best adapted to
30 masculine an environment
As a matter Of fact, girls AT co
educational university, such as Michi-
gan. live under much the same condi-
lions as do the girls in segregated
schools. while they enjoy at the same
time a much broader and more whole
some outlook upon life. They possess
at once the best advantages afforded
by group life among themselves and
the superior advantages offered 10y Il
splendidly equipped university They
have their own special interests. their
own organizations and activities. but
with all this they are in no SENSE eX-
cluded from the larger interests of the
student body rs Il whole.
Exclusive OF the summer session.
the University of Michigan numbers
4.75l STUDENTS. and 40 OF them are
women. The proportion may seem
small, but We must remember that OF
this number 60 are enrolled i'm tn"
literary department.. there being only
thirty-three women in professional
courses. This whole department mum
bers bib. the women being abuut one
third. But in the graduating class the
proportion is about onc-half. This i
because so many girls take two wears
In the state normal schools and then
come to the university 10 study for
their degree Those intending to he
teachers are doing this in IN increIS-
ing number. much To the advantage Of
the state schools.
AS Il rule, most of the women take
courses in languages. in literature and
history and in the natural sciences.
such as biology and botany Not vc:N
many girls stray into physics or mathr
MATES, but it is II generally accepted
fact that when they do take these
courses they are never among the poor
students
The early history of cOcducation mt
Michigan presents Il thrilling story If
struggle against great odds. The sub
Ject of coeducation was first brought
up In the Michigan Legislature as carly
IA 1858. when after profound delibera-
ton 1t was decided that To admit la.
dies 70 the university would be an in
novatiOn never contemplated by its
founders or its patrons. destructive to
Its character and influence and ruinoliS
to the ladies who might avail them
selves OF it," But in spite of this pain
full prospect the ladies" and the people
OF the state still clamored for the nj
mission Of all residents of the state To
the state university. After several wears
of heroic effort the battle was Won In
1870 one lone woman, Miss Madelon
StOckwell, entered the literary depart
ment and was graduated in 1872 with
high credit as IL classical scholar. The
next year there were four graduates.
one Of whom, Miss Amanda Sanford.
took medical degree. The number
continued 10 Increase until in 1876
there were 101 women students
CoeducatiOn had been given fair
trial and had succeeded. The two
greatest objections namely. that wo-
men could not do the work and that
even If they could their health would
not stand it-were Oyerthrown. In
deed as far rs scholarship went the
women had II higher average than the
men. and the majority Of them were
enrolled in courses requiring Latin an |
Greek. which Was sufficient proof OF
serious purpose.
OF curse the advent of women az
Mich IA WAS met with wild proteS:
on I've part of male students and man,
of the faculty. We are told that Miss
Stockwell was once forced To run. or.
rnther, walk the gauntlet of all the stu.
dents lined up on both sides of the
walk for the purpose of staring her on
Of countenance, but To their great dis
appointment she remained supremclN
unconscious of her prosecutors. one
of the instructors, il is said. utterly f.
nored the sex Of half n dozen women
in his class, addressing them as gen
tlemen" and Individually as "Mr. So
and-so." Nor were the townspeoplt
any more sympathetic. Two girls ono,
walked the streets three days huntinr
for boarding house that would tax,
them in. 1t is easy to imagine the kind
of courage IL took to face these early
conditions.
There were many brilliant women
among the early graduates. Alice Free
man Palmer Of 1876. the first president
OF Wellesley, being perhaps the best
known of them all Several graduates
of the medical department became
nrominpnf mpdicul miSsiOna rios Some