The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-01-28
THE a1cHMoND NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. JANUARY q l9l6.


He showed that of e.ToO public schools
in the State there are but I see that
are more than one-room schools and
declared that the problem Ia the one
room school.
Miss Mckinney. representing the
Southern Association OF College Wo-
men. urged the coordinate college.
She said there are but two women S
colleges in Virginia recognized by the
Iassocla ton They are Westhampton
College and Randolph Macon. She
concluded by presenting two charts
to show the relative cost of separate
college education and coordinate edu-
| cation. These were not gone INTO, now
ever because OF the lateness of the
hour
Miss Mckinney quoted from a let
ter from DR.. Thomas. president or
Brvn Mawr. separate college, IN
which she said she did not favor a
separate college. In the discussion in
which Murray Mcguire took part. 1t
was shown that DR.. Thomas favored
Co-education, which Is not contem-
/ plated by the bill, and the letter
counted little
Mcclure Urges Separate College.
! Mr.. MCGUIRE urged thai the women
OF Virginia be given separate col
lege. He declared 1t would give women
equal opportunity with men and with
out the danger of coordination becom-
ing co-aducation. Mr.. Mcguire quoted
figures showing that the women do
not attend coordinate colleges. prefer
ring the separate institutions. lie
showed that in the last ten years
there have been but ffty-seven stu
dents from States south of the 20
tomac, including Arkansas, at Rad
clifre. Sc showed that Randolph Macon
had more than twice the number OF
students from States adjoining Louis
iana as had the Sophia Newcome Col
lege a coordinate Institution at Tu-
lane, showing that they came thous-
and miles to the Virginia school rather
that attend the coordinate college.
Mrs. Munford's Plea.
Mrs. Munford made a splendid plea
for the coordinate college, for when
she has worked faithfully during the
last and this session. She has Tor
years been active in work for better
education system for Virginia. ana
more recently she has turned her at
tention to coordinate education
which, she holds, should be the cap
stone Of the system. She told OF her
work for the crossroads schools and
said that the only thing missing that
would make the school system com
plete was the coordinate college.
Mrs. Munford told that the work
for a coordinate college was the last
that she and her husband had under
taken before his death. She said that
reference had been made to her work
as an effort to erect, in the co-ordl-
nate college, a monument to her nus
band She felt that she had accom-
plished much since beginning the
Shp
recalled that at the last session OF
the Legislature 1t got lot of people
roofing for the common schools, ana
they are still roofing
She closed with an appeal to the
committee to give the State uniVer-
sity chance to serve the women in
a new way-to give the women
chance.
DIR. Cannon Closes for Opponents.
DR. Cannon closed for the oppon-
ents of the bill in speech of thirty
minutes, and discussed the present
educational conditions in Virginia, and
the action demanded In view Of those
| conditions Ten years ago there were
| only seventy four high schools In Vir-
ginia, and the youth of the rural dis
! tricts could not obtain any high
school training without going away TO
boarding school.
stirred by these facts, ne had in
| 1905 proposed the high school bill,
j and 1t had been passed by the AS
sembiy, carrying an appropriation or
! $4,000 He then gave statistics
i showing the growth OF high schools
to 500, with nearly $4,000 students,
and other striking statistics showing
that the State was now paying only
Isl135 per capita for primary ana
/ grammar schools, and $3.50 per capita
: for higher education. He favored the
establishment of a college for women.
but the question to be asked was
What Ia best for the girls of Vlr-
ginia p and changes Of policy run the
risk of damage to the University. IL
will not furnish high school instruc-
| ton. There will be small saving or
money.
DR.. Cannon urged the establishment
| OF a coordinate coll eye elsewhere than
at Charlottesville or the changing OF
Of one of the normal schools into
State college for women. He paid
tribute to the brilliant magnetic lead
ership of Mrs. Munford, who has given
its bill the great strength.
What is best for the public school
system OF virginia." VIII this co-or-
dinate college meet these two needs
He gave several reasons why he be-
/ lievd II would not Tn cost of at
tendance would be too great for the
average girl, who needed college
with expenses of about 5000. The CO.
ordinate college had all the disadvan-
tages of co-education and none OF Its
advantages. II is proposed by this
bill to make girls go a mile for library
and laboratory work.
Bishop Denny Closes.
Bishop Collins Denny made the clos
ing speech for the bill. He followed.
in the main. the line of argument OF
the other advocates of the measure, In
II sisting that the women of the State
had the right to equal advantages with
| the men and declared that the dangers
which were seen by some opponents
of the bill were simply like stories to
brighten children with. He did not
believe that any OF the prophecies OF
evil would he fulfilled. but that the
| state would be proud of the work done
ty the university for the women.
It was 2 o'clock when the debate
closed, but goodiy company re-
tn "a diHaPryt% ~