The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-03-01

Maryland spends s2o.ss: West Viz
ginia. stTss, and the entire Union.
tas.e2. Virginia spends per capita less
than half of the average OF the entire
country.
The amount appropriated per capita
for students in higher institutions OF
learning is s250, making In round
round numbers twenty times ne much
money per capita appropriated by the
state for the students in the higher in
stitutions than for the children en-
rolled in primary. grammar, and high
school grades.
And yet it In seriously proposed
under these humiiiating and Distress
ing condition in the lower grades to
assume the responsibility Of establish
ing a college for women on the same
general scale as that of the University
of Virginia, as the bill declares. ITO
erect academic. administration and
recitation buildings and suitable resi-
dences, halls or dormitories, supply
said buildings with the necessary
equipment, which buildings shall be
grouped around its own campus and
recreation grounds. And this right
upon the heels OF the establishment
of the three new normal schools for
girls. which still need large sums to
equip and properly furnish them to
do their hest work.
The needs of the common schools
are too great and that work too vital
at the present time to undertake sucl
an additional burden of responsibility.
SECOND. The establishment of the
coordinate college would block for
years the establishment of separate
college for women, such as would meet
the real need of the great bulk of the
girls of the Commonwealth. If the
CO. ordinate college bin is adopted. the
State of Virginia will not establish
another college for women for many
years The great needs of the COM
mon schools, indicated above, will call
for all the money which can be secured
from the people for educational pur-
poses over and above the iargc sum
which will inevitably be necessary TO
erect and furnish the plant required
by the coordinate college In addition
to the yearly appropriation which
would be required for maintenance.
1t will be several years before this
coordinate college will be in opera
ton. and when 1t Is In operation. It
will be looked upon very much as an
experiment by many persons. In tho
meantime. there will be no State
college for girls In operation. and un-
I'll II has been fully demonstrated that
the coordinate college will not mcet
the needs of the girls OF the State, II
will be impossible to secure the estab-
ttshmcnt of II college which will meet
those needsf
fhird.. Reasons why the co~orttiuate
college win not meet the needs of the
girls of Virginia, IL ors,e csta biisl,cd.
1) The cost of attendance viii be
too great for the girls who need col
lege training the most The girls who
are able to meet the high cost are
able to go elsewhere. and the State
should not provide for such persons
until the other great needs are met.
f2l 1t will be a co-educationai institu-
ton In fact as well as in spirit. 1t is
evidently the intention of the bill to
locate the COt6Bu puHuIHkH hCd1 ~
the university, and co-education will
certainly follow. And IL 1t should not
do SO, coordination has the worst
features of co-education. CD Such a
college will not furnish any large
number of high school teachers for
the State. which Is one of the great
needs OF the public school system. 90
Parents will not send their daughters
to such an institution, but will send
them to separate colleges for girls.
No coordinate college has been suc-
cessful In securing students, unless
located In large cities. and supported
by students who live at home with
their parents.
why should Virginia make this
radical change OF policy in her educa-
tional work? Why pass law con-
corning which there is such q wide
sstA 80 .c{~yaxA a 80 ~, or prnfncanru