The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-02-03
NEED MORE ROOM
Kansas Women Working foI
DOrmitory Bill.
Girl Students in College Have
No Place to Stay.
10 ROOM AFTER AUGUST
DR.. Alberta COrbin of X. u,
Tells of Needs.
Cost to Kansas Taxpayers Is
Small, He Says.

Small, He Says.
So that it will not be necessary for
girl students to sit forlornly on the
steps of state school buildings wonder
ing where to find lodging, or for them
to spend much of their college fund
for hotel bills prior to being able to
find suitable accommodations in COL
lege towns, or for them to pay as
much and more than S22.50 apiece for
a room, if they are fortunate enough
to find one, SO that such conditions
may be relieved Kansas women are
working hard to influence the 1egis-
lature to pass the measure pending re-
garding dormitories for women at
state schools.
Difficult to Find Places.
Girl students at the State Agricul-
tural college actually sat on the steps
of the buildings at the school in de-
spair of finding places to stay, accord
ing to the testimony of a Manhattan
girl graduate at a meeting of repre-
sentatives of the Kansas Council of
Women at the Y. w. C. A. this morn
ing, called by DR.. Alberta Corbin, dean
of women of Kansas. University.
Two girls 1 know pay $40 a month
ror the room they occupy--and it is
only an ordinary room-in Lawrence,
where they are attending the state uni
'versity," Mrs. Minnie Grinstead, state
representative from Liberal who is
to introduce the dormitory bill in the
house, told the omen at the meeting,
"One girl occupying such a room alone
pays $3.50 for it." Similar conditions
at other state schools were cited by
various women present, among whom
We're presidents and past presidents of
many of the chief organiZat tons of
women in Kansas.
To House Girls.
THE passage of the dormitory bill
will enable the state to house COM
fortably and reasonably 20 per cent
OF its girls" Dean Corbin said "The
dormitories will eventually pay for
themselves, it is easy to figure. But
the cost to the taxpayer for the ST.
OOO,O0 bond issue we want for this
dormitory use is not Objectionable.
If the bond issue should be allowed
the tax at the highest levy could not
be more than $1.05 a year on the cit
zen paying taxes on property worth
$4,000. 1t is not probable that it
would amount to that much for the
highest levy would not be made.
Two girls I know had to stay at a
Lawrence hotel five days until they
could find any place at all suitable to
i've while attending the university, be-
cause of the crowded condition" Dean
Corbin said. And when they did
lind place to stay they were forced
to pay more than they could afford
and limit their expenditure for board
No Rooms After August 1.
after August 1 it is almost impos-
slble to help the girls find rooms"
Dean Corbin continued. so MANY
applications come in before that time
that the available rooms are taken
leaving hundreds of girls not proper
iy provided for. There are four big
I
have dormitory for girls at each
state school My reasons are:
First, that there are not enough
roomssof any kind to supply the need.
second, that exorbitant prices are
asked for the poorest rooms
Third, that the dormitory system
would provide proper supervision for
the girls, helping them to live whole
some lives.
Fourth. that the poor girl would be
able to secure as comfortable a room
as the rich girl in the dormitory. This
democratic plan is worth considerable
at state school, where money figures
too much in whether or not students
enjoy their school life"
Bill Comes Up Soon.
The dormitory bill was expected to
come before the legislature today or
tomorrow. The women at the meeting
ana many others have registered as
provides for one dornitory for women
at every state school, to be provided
by 100000 bond issue.
The Kansas Federation of Women's
clubs has declared this dormitory bill
to be the biggest thing before Kansas
women today" Dean Corbin said.
Among the organizations supporting
the bill, collectively and individually.
are the State Federation of Women's
clubs the Kansas Council of Women,
the Women's Kansas Day club, the
Kansas Equal Suffrage association,
the Topeka Woman's club, the Shaw
nee County Political Science club, the
Kansas Association of Collegiate alum
nae, the state chapter of the D. A. R.,
the w. c. T. u, the Forestry club, the
W.. r. c., the Ladies of the G. A. R.
land other influential bodies of
women.
The stringent condition Of fl
nances, it is feared by many women,
will turn legislators against the propo-
sition.
But the need of the dormitories is
greater than any money considera-
tion,' Dean Corbin declared. And
I believe Kansas legislators will recog-
nize it. Many other states are doing
as much and more for their college
girls. The girls deserve the help and
protection
IT don't think the charge is true
that Kansas farmers think more of
promoting livestock interests than
they do their sons and daughters,
she said. ST know it is not true. Not
a father that sits in the legislature
would refuse to do anything within his
power for the welfare of his children.
Thru promoting cattle and hog inter-
ests they can get the money to help
their children. If so who can blame
them when they readily appropriate
$4,000 to fight hog cholera? But it
| was hard to put thru an appropriation
| of $1,000 for child hygiene work.