New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-02-13

which he. from his long presidency
of Vassar College, was particularly well
fitted TO make. 1t is indeed OF special
and almost unique value from two
distinct points Of view. In It's first
two chapter: It gives concise but
detailed and authoritative account OF
the state Of higher education for
women in America before and during
the Civil War, including much infor-
nation which will be novel TO the
average reader to-day, and which
should be profitable for suggestion
and inspiration. In the other chapters
it gives a vivacious and luminous ac-
count OF the inception, development
and completion Of the great design of
Yassar College.
Their, were, Of course, female col
leges" before Nassar. Perhaps there
we're in Mrs. Malaprop's day. There
were also co-educational colleges. And
some of these early institutions de-
serve to be held forever in grateful
remembrance, such as the EImlra and
Mary Sharp colleges, exclusively Tor
women. and Oberlin, Antioch and Hills
dale, for both sexes. Yet with all due
respect for these historic lnstltu-
tions. il is to be doubted If any OF
them gave TO women in those days
curriculum really worthy to be called
collegiate. Certainly they did not at
tract a 1.-THE Of the attention which
was given TO Nassar, and were not, as
was the latter, looked upon as marx
ing an epoch in educational affairs.
, There was, therefore, substantial truth
N
Matthew Vasssr one day in the winter
Of 1886. Mr.. Jewett had founded
and conducted for years a large semi
nary for girls in the South and then
had come TO Poughkeepsie to conduct
a girls school there. lie was close
and confidential friend of Matthew
/ Vassar, who often discussed with
him his plans for using his wealth.
. His first plan was to found a great
. hospital, but Mr.. Jevett dissuaded him
from that. on the ground that Plough
keepsie was too small place for such
an Institution. Then Mr.. Nassar was
at loss TO know what to do:
One day. in characteristic out
/ burst of Impotence, he petulantly
/ exclaimed: II wish somebody would
/ tell me what 70 do with my money!
/ It's the plague OF my life-keeps me
+ awake o nights stocks going down,
} banks breaking, insurance companies
! falling" Mr.. Jewett seized his OPP
portunity, told him OF scheme
which had been growing in his mind
for several years, which no could
never execute, but which Mr.. Vas
sar's money would make possible.
at. 10 build and endow = college
| for young women which shall be 10
them what Yale and Harvard are TO
/ young men. There is not an endowed
| college for young women IN the
world" he told him, though
plenty Of female college. so
called" with mo libraries, cabinets,
museums, apparatu. worth mention
/ ing" II he would build such col
lcge il would be monument more
! lasting than the Pyramids" The
/ idea caught the imagination OF MI
I Vassar. and then and there Nasssr
, Colleg. was born.
| Tho founding OF Vsssar indeed
marked an epoch in the higher educs-
/ ton OF women in America and exert
/ ed = marked influence upon the intel
/ lectual status OF women in other lands.
It's proximity TO New York and the
| great seat. Of learning In the East, the
/ scale on which II was planned and
/ built and the ambitious character or
| II. curriculum gave 20 Vsssar = dis
| tnction and q prestige which no other
| college for women at that time approx
mated. They also made it the target
for all amount OF abuse, dsnunciation
and ridicule such as, we suppose, no
other such institution has ever in
CURED. DR.. Taylor does not touch
upon this phase OF the subject. There
would not have been room for il in his
littlc volume. But one Of these days
there might be curious interest in =
compilation of the false. objurgstory,
sarcastic and contemptuous things
which have been said about Vassar;