The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-02-28
Woman's College Should BE Separate,
Not Coordinate A Reply.

Woman's College Should BE Separate,
Not Co-ordinate-- A Reply.
| Editor Virginian:
Sir.-In your issue OF February 20
Miss Mckinney expresses amaze
ment that ] should have been willing
to make the following statement in
your columns:
The latter (the coordinate COL
lege) would be new and untried ex-
pertinent among State universities.
There is no State-supported co-ordi-
nate college for women as a part OF
college for men"
In the article which contained this
statement was urging that the State
establish a separate college for wo-
men, not a coordinate college. I'M
less co-education be the end desired,
my contention being that economy of
administration will eventually bring
about co-education in a coordinate
college dependent upon State appro-
priations for support. Miss Mcken-
ney says that a similar statement
made by me on Januay 81 i'm public
hearing was contradicted by one of
my opponents In debate, who pointed
out that in 1918 the Legislature of
Delaware had created a coordinate
college for women In connection with
the mems college OF that State
First. I wish to say that / had been
misinformed when I made the state
ment referred to. AS a matter of fact,
Miss McKenney is right; there is a
coordinate college for women at
Newark, Del, in connection with the
State college for men at that place
fell into this error BECAUSE / re-
lied upon the latest available report
of the United States Commissioner of
Education. which covers the year end
ing June. 1914.
did not accept as final the state
ment Of the opponent in debate re-
, ferr@d to- because. as I understood
this opponent, she claimed that the
coordinate college was created in
1912 mot 1919, and had this been
correct, then the report for 1914
would certainly have contained in
formation to show this fact. II did
not do so and I, therefore. thought
that she was mistaken. I did not
catch the explanation referred TO by
Miss McKenney rs to the date when
this college opened. or I would have
stood corrected as to this fact
| Moreover, ! had not found my OPP
ponents absolutely infallible IN their
statements up to that time. SO that I
trusted rather to the official record
than to them.
During the few minutes Just pre-
ceding the incident referred to they
had made three mistakes of greater
or less Importance. For instance, they
had claimed that the State of New
York provides for the education of
women at Cornell at State expense,
and that women are provided with
education in the same way al the
Massachusetts, Institute of Tech
nology. both of which claims DIR.
Blackwell pointed out were errors.
Furthermore. they had charged me
with "suppressing' a letter. and had
been compelled to admit that the
plain facts showed that had not
received the letter until after the time
! when was charged with suppress
ing" IL.
1t WIFI thus be seen why I accepted
Education rather than the statements
OF my opponents in debate. / would
have corrected my mistake before Miss
McKenneyi called attention to It If /
could have. obtained a catalogue of
| Delaware College. for which l had
written twice previous to the publ
cation of her article, but neither of
my letters produced a reply l, there
| fore still relied upon the report OF
the United States commissioner. After
her article was published I obtained
information from Delaware agreeing
with Miss Mckinney. and / take this
| opportunity to correct my error.
| Delaware College Does Not Prove
Case.
| But does the existence of this CO.
| ordinate college for women in con-
nection with the Delaware College,
| at Newark. Del, support the conten-
| ton of the advocates Of the pend
/ ing bill for establishing a coordinate
! raiIaCo In virginia > The question Is
not whether Miss McKenney is skilled
| In sarcasm. but what are the facts
and what do they prove?
i Delaware College is the only college
| In the state for men and women OF
sufficient Importance to be reported
| by the Commissioner of Education
and there is not a normal school In