The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-01-17
ll-.HDIiAi. CJLL-ut
[ tGUt'S SIAItNtjl
Central Committee Reviews Campaign
Wagcd since 1910 On Behalf
of Movement.
WAS NEAR VICTORY TWICE
Measure Lost in House of Delegates
In 1919 by Six Votes and in 1918
hy Two--Asks What WIN Virginia
Do In Present Crisis


brought to the attention of the legis-
lature OF Virginia the wisdom and
necessity OF esta blishing Coordinate
college Tor women as department of
our state university AT CharlottesNtile.
A bill for the creation OF TINS coiIeRe
was twice passed by the senate, Vut
lost BY six votes in the house IN iFl]
and by hut two In 1916, The piII mas
been fully argued before eight com
npittees and has never failed to re-
eeive goodly majority Affirmative re-
mort The measure has had the sup
port OF large numbers OF the leading
citizens OF Virginia, both men ana "o~
men. and has had back OF II the en-
doyserrerf Of the state Teachers as
sociation. the United Daughters of the
Confederacy. the Mothers clubs, the
Daughters OF the American Revolu-
ton the Equal Suffrage league. the
Wouiau's Christian Temperance union
and the legislative committee or the
four educational bodies composing
our annual educational convention.
The president and the faculty OF the
university have given the measure
loval and effective support, and the
rector and board OF visitors OF the
university have-repeatedly com mitted
theruseles by formal resolutions to the
wisdom Of the establishment OF such
a college
The year 1915 fnds Us with new
world ahead OF US and a new set or
porhierns to meet Millions of men
are being called away from their dally
vocations fer military service, leaving
the work that they have done and the
responsibilities that they have borne
% he assumed BY women. This IL
equally true in the factory, In business,
in education. I'm medicine, in scientific
and research work. and in various
administrative lines. Women are
measuring UP Ia a wonderful and al
most surprising way 20 the new calls
which life and the worlds needs sound
In their ears. Greater than the i'm
mediate emergencies which they are
called upon 10 meet rs the uncertainty
OF the future No map knows what
the new world nov In process Of Gre
alton ~ te be, but every wise reader
of the signs OF the times realizes that
il il to be m reality new. For a word
al war therefore, and for the world
that shall emerge when this period OF
agony and destruction Is at an end
must the women AZ the men be pre-
pared With an instructive grasp OF
their present needs and opportunities,
women are thronging the colleges and
universities both abroad and in this
country Even IN Germany they crowd
into these seats of learning I'm ever
increasing numbers. What VIII viz
ginia do in the present crisis to fit
her daughters 70 serve the common
wealth and the nation and to stand
prepared. and so unnfraid, in the face
of changing conditions? Said Mr. JEFF
ferson, writing to Joseph c, CHbell In
1890 with reference TO the university:
Surely the pride, as well as the pa
trfotism Of our legislature will be stm-
ulated to look 20 the reputation and
safety OF their own country"
Our allies. England and France,
feeling the urge and challenge of the
changing times, have, after three years
Of devastating war, appointed COM
missions To study and revalue their
educational systems. The United
States commissioner OF education, IN
his message written under war con-
ditions begE that the American people,
while abstaining from the creation OF
expensive buildings, will keep their
colleges and universities AZ the high
est point of efficiency In teaching and
equipment, and states that practically
all women students should remain in
the colleges. universities. and techn.-
raj schools, because both America and
the world viii need more than they
viii get OUT of that high type OF SER
cice which only men and women OF
best education and training can give.
II has been shown conclusively by
Dean J. NJ Page, of the university. that
under normal conditions the annual
rost for teaching and administration
for five hundred students in a co-or-
dinate college would he under $50, 600.
and this with no unusual efforts at
economy The male student body at
the univ ersity Is being largely reduced ;
thus probably rendering ayaila bic
teaching hours Of the professors and
laboratory space which might be re-
served at spec!a! times for the use of
he women students. Rented quarters
10 Charlottesville could very we'll be
used during the period or tho war; and,
even when buildings must IN proper
season be constructed. careful esti-
mates based on such buildings else
Ehere show that dormtory space for
one hundred students, and a class
room and administrative building, to-
gether with equipment for four hun
dred students. can be provided for
$4,000, based on prev costs In
the light OF these needs and facts,
can Virginia afford. IN the midst OF
and because Of this war. to fall IL
make provision for the higher edLca-
lion OF her women? And can tho
university, state institution and
therefore "a creature and a servant Of
the people IN a peculiar sense" ask
under present conditions the support
of the people through public taxation
while she fails 30 meet and TO insist
upon the opportunity to train w.sols
and we'll the young women of the
state, ana While the l.O62 girls VINO
graduate annually from our pubH,
high schools f1nd there no opportunity
for training nor Inspiration for culture
or service2
In brief, this is the thought of tn,
women and the central committee
their representatives, who have fos
tered and sustained in Virginia TIL,
movement for the establishment at th'
University of Virginia of co-ordi
uate college for women. As the wal
has brought changes to all, we too
have become involved in the various
phases OF war work and in service
necessItated by the demands OF pa
triotism and the call OF our country
II is not. therefore. practicable tina
we shoule press with the same energ'
and patience. as was possible unde
different conditions. upon the atten
ton OF the legislature the mportanc,
Of providing at once for the education
of Virginia women at Virginia's uni
yersity. Because OF the war, we be
lieve this 10 be Of first Importance
We appeal to our friends and repre-
sentatives in the Virginia legislator
OF 1918, that. while we are about I'll
tasks that the exigencies OF the time
demand. they viii make proper pro
vision for the education OF the daugh
ters OF Virginia. no making availahi
10 the state and the nation this ~eAltl