The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-02-07
Voice Of the People
Against Atavistlc Arsument.

NtuNlSttc Argument.
To the Editor of The Times Dispatch:
Slr,--I am informed that on Thurs
day, the 25th. in the Virginia Legisla-
ture. during the hearing by the Senate
Committee on Public Institutions and
Education, telegram from South Caro-
lima was read which opposed the bill
Tor the coordinate college for women
gina alumni of South Carolina. There
is no general organization Of uni
Verslty of Virginia alumni in this State,
and the question OF the woman's col
chapters acting together. Accordingly.
any telegram purporting to give the
unanimous view Of the South Carolina
alumni represents merely the opinions
OF the sendars and no more. SO much
for the sake OF the facts. which ought
, to be known In justice to those OF the
South Carolina alumni who were total
ly miSrepresentcd without ever b='pE
consulted on tho subject.
so much has been said on the other
side, so many passionate protests have
! neen directed against the proposed CO.
ordinate college for women. that can
not help raising my voice for 1t as an
alumnus OF tho University of Virginia.
as a teacher BY profession, and as a
First Of ALL however. lot me say L
do not identify the Early Rison bill
women. Mr.. Henry Taylor seems TO
! have shown In his letter to Mr..
| Armistcad Gordon some OF the flaws in
the bill. and the possibility that, as
its provisions now stand, they might
! be Interpreted TO parmit coeducation
If they could be so understood, l agree
/ with President Alderman that the bill
| should be worded In explicit terms, to
| for.stall any such objection. But that
| Is not tho root Of tho matter with
! those of the Richmond Chapter Of
! Alumni who were most earnest in OPP
, posing the bill. Their objections go
: much deeper. What they really fear
That is why they hold up their hands
I In eloquent appeals to the sacred ira
ditions OF the past the ideals of VIZ
sinia. the danger OF smirching the
on. II is no accident that the same
Legislature which must discuss the
I1arly-Rison bill must also DISCUSS the
question of woman suffrage. Much OF
4 the heat of the opponents OF the col
/ lege for women comes from their
Knowledge that the two propositions
and new interests in Virginia, and the
Richmond Chapter OF Alumni Is COM
posed largely Of men en-, who fear new
I the signs OF the times. Speaker Byrd
| Is reported as saying that the four
! normal schools now open to women IN
enough women go to college TO make
F. State provision OF education for them
necessary. 4 few years ago one nor
NAL school was thought sufficient few
|
[ fact is, whether gentlemen choose to
| sos 1t or not that Virginia girls so
| to college in ever increasing numbers.
| I said In all seriousness II was
! matter of principle with many Of the
| Richmond alumni to reject new Ideas.
| Lately have read many letters in
| vour columns opposing equal suffrage
| and college education for women, and
| i'm many cases the only argument OF the
| writer was that such things are now,
| to him or her unheard of. and accord
| ingly monstrous. and the cad thing
/ about it is that many Of the weakest,
| finsiest views are voiced by the men
tion of people who discuss propositions
| on their merits is never anything but an
advantages; II is another class Of peo-
ME that present the real difficulty. 1t
is tho gentlemen who speak with the
authority derived from precious SER
to forbid any change In tho present
it is they that we OF the present gen
! Grafton find hard to answer. IL IS the
ladies' who wero born In a dinersht
, world from ourf., who We're trained Tor
quite other duties than those our SIS
tiers and wives face. the iaa , VINO
have been told by thu romantic novel
lists and poets that the ante-bellnm
type of won,anhood was perfect. and
| who actually and honestly bolieve the
Ideal pattern has b.en long ago SGT
they arc the seriously dtficuit op.
ponents of the work Of the present
generation in Virginia. II comes down
to that in essence.
Every generation has Its work 10
Z the republic, our fathers fought
through tho war and rebuilt the state.
ann our task is Il different one. our
great work 10 to teach the people OF