Norwich bulletin., 1922-03-27


DO the women's colleges fit girls for
actual living?' That is question which
has been arousing a lot of thought re-
Gently, and Miss Pauline H. Dederer. as
sociate professor Of zoology at Connect
cut college. in a recent article in THE
Woman Citizen says for the women's
college at New London that it does fit
an overwhelming proportion of its girls
for living. She traces the influence Of
the college training upon the vacations
Of rs percent of the graduates fof the
class Of 1919 and 81 percent of 1920.
Connecticut colleges particular pur-
pose. according to Miss Dederer, is ito
maintain with high standards, and to
conduct with highest efficiency, a cur
riculum prepared to develop each wo-
mans talents toward her most effective
life work"
Miss Dedered quotes the following
tribute to Connecticut college contained
in an article by Marguerite Kehr in the
journal of the Association of Collegi-
ate Aumnae" MANY of the indie
pendent colleges for men have develop
ed schools for professional training,
while in the independent wornen's col
leges as a group. so far as undergrad
uate work is concerned. there are prac-
ticaliy no organized courses Of profess
sional study. In this connection it is
interesting to note that the program of
the Connecticut college for Women.
founded only about five years ago, in
corporated at the outset professional
courses to prepare the way for the es-
Establishment of professional schools
Says Miss Dederer: 1.-THE occupations
which women enter after graduation
from college. are listed as follows, those
having the largest percentage of grad
yates being given first: teaching, home
making, social service, library work
business literary work. religious work
administrative work, personal service
| (private secretaries, etc.,, the profess
sions.
Connecticut college offers instruction
| in each of the ten fields here named, ii
| It's departments of psychology and edu-
cation home economics, sociology and
| economics, library science secretaria
work and office practice, English. Bibi
| cal literature. and courses leading to
/ ward professional work, in the depart
ments of fine arts. music, physical edu'
cation and hygiene. botany. chemistry
mathematics. physics and zoology. There
[ are also departments of classical philo
loEy, modern languages, history, ant
| philosophy. which may claim. if so de
| sired to be as much vocational as the
| first group may De liberal.
According to some reports, a larg'
percentage of college women are fol
/ lowing vocations which have no con
nectIon whatever with their major sub
ject in college. and this is course con
| sidered undesirable.
/ "I believe that for various reasons 4
| is only fair. as a test of correlation be
tween the work of the college and after
ats71
| ject as well. In some cases major may
not be offered in certain fields, and :
i student may secure in a minor subjec
| considerable training toward her future
! vocation. In other cases, students de
| iberately choose as a minor the sub
t ject they intend to follow later. In thu
| third place. the difference In the mum
! Der of hours between a major and mino
| may be relatively small and the facto
| determining which field a girl enter!
may be simply the desirability Of ont
specific opening over another. Not in
| frequently. too, students take as man!
courses in a minor subject as in tn
one designated to be their major.
"a study Of the records Of the frs
| two classes which were graduated from
| Connecticut college shows that rs per
cent of the class Of 1919 and 81 percen
or the class OF 1871 leXcludlng LnoS'
| who failed to rerly), are engaged in oc
equations for which their college work
! In either the major or minor subject
specifically fitted them.
THE function Of a college may wei
| be 80 contribute In It's graduates a grour
| Of women who are undertaking specific
tasks. toward which the college unmls
| takably directed them. following theI
f; natural bent ambition and equipment.
That is what Connecticut college is try
| ing to do"