The Columbus dispatch. (Columbus, Miss.) 19??-1922, 1920-09-26
FINE ADDRESS BY
PRESIDENT FAINT


preference-under the law-must be
given to Mississippi girls.
Though working under many disad
vantages, attributed principally te
the extremely crowded condition, the
big institution has settled down tc
regular work and things are now run
ming smoothly in every department.
President FAINT was eloquently intro
duced by Hon. w. C. Trotter, of Wi
mona, one of the members of the BOARD
of Trustees. Mr.. Trotter is one OF
the institutions best friends and most
loyal supporters, and he was given a
most cordial welcome at the college
both by the officials and the student
body.
President FAINT said, in part:
For the past fifty years and more
women have been coming gradually
into fields Of work and service and Of
development which were closed to
them in all the centuries of the past
Doors have opened, one after the
other, though slowly and reluctantly
and women have shown themselves
fully capable in all the new places ia
which they have been admitted and in
which they generally have had to work
under disadvantages Of distrust and
low remuneration. Now the nine-
teenth amendment to the constitution
at length removes any reservation as
to woman's right to enter any field
she may choose, and the nation may
profit by the intellectual capabilities
Of it's women as well as Of its men.
We have reason to reflect with pride
upon the record Of Mississippi in this
connection. While there may have
been reluctance for various reasons or
the part of our present legislators to
have the state enter into the ratifica-
ton of the nineteenth amendment, yet
in many respects Mississippi has taker
a leading part in the according OF
rights to women. II is priceless her.
itage to live in country whose flag
is the emblem of freedom and justice
Throughout the world, and in state
which has honored women as few
commonwealth have done. If you
would measure the degree of civiliza.
ton that any people have reached, al
unfailing standard is the attitude Of
man towards woman and her position
in society and in the family. This test
can be applied all theway down tn,
years of history, and it is a happy
fact for all of us here to know that
by this standard our state measures
up high in comparison with her sister
states. For it was this state which
was the first in the American unioi
to abolish the ancient law of cover
ture, and confer upon married womel
the right to own property in their owl
names. And this action was taken il
1889, when the woman movement wa
in its infancy, and there was no pres
sure to this end, but only their inner
ent sense of justice that determine,
the action of the State Legislature o
that day. And ever since that tim
Mississippi has taken an advances
stand in regard to the property right
of women and their rights in thei
children.
Again, Mississippi was one of tn
first of the states to recognize tn
right of women to equal educationa
opportunity, having taken action near
ly forty years ago to admit women t
: all the privileges of the State Univei
sity. In taking this step. only tw
or three of the states were ahead Q
Mississippi, and most of the state
have been a quarter of a century Q
more behind Mississippi.
! Not content with this, only tw
J years later--in lSs4--Mississippi too
steps to provide for her daughters
! college of their very own; and thi
college, then founded, was, as yo
well know, the first state institutio
: established for the higher educatio
; Of women.
You young women, now just reach
: ing maturity, face life with an outloo
4 different in the fullness of its scoT
. fra... &k.a ...hs.A