Evening star., 1923-01-07
. Girls and Their Affairs. E
Conducted BY Helen III. Fetter.

Intentions to follow some trade or
profession, for several years at least,
and lift that burden from the fami-
lies worries is constantly increasing.
because of the increased emphasis
fxid on specialized education, the col
leEes are, in turn, revising their
eurrieula to increase the practical
value, and decrease the theoretical
training offered in their courses.
Tho first co-educational college was
established in Oberlin. Ohio, in 1884,
as result of philanthropic and mis-
sionary work carried on during the
first two decades of the nineteenth
century. The avowed purpose of this
institution was "the elevation of fe-
male character" Forty women We're
enrolled in the first year. but, discov
ering that they were not fitted for
college work, they waited and took a
preparatory course. In 1887 four
women were ready and anxious to
take the regular college work. Four
years later three women, the first
three in the United States to receive
degrees from any college, received
their +. As at Oberlin
Twenty years later Antioch Col
lege, founded by Horace Mann in an
other Ohio town, established CO.
educational work. Mr.. Mann said that
he DeIleNeu CO-GuuCaIlOn Npulu prove
excellent for both girls and men and
prevent their manners from becom-
ing rude and their sentiments coarse.
The state universities then follow
ed-1owa, Kansas. Minnesota, Nebras-
la, Indiana. Michigan, Illinois, Cali
tornia, Missouri. Ohio State. Wiscon-
-Sin--an now all but four are open
10 women. II is noticeable that the
middle and far western states were
the first TO open their doors to women.
h al F1A- .,R.fl e y-x- q n
preached the question from the point
of view of establishing new separate
colleges for women as the easiest So
luton of their problem. Matthew
Vassar. Sophia Smith, Henry r.. Du-
rant and Dr. Joseph W. Taylor es-
taLlished Nassar; smith, Wellesley
and Bryn Mawr, respectively. Mr..
Vassar told his trustees of the col
- lege that bears his name. 1T has
been the main incentive of all | have
already done. or may hereafter do.
or hope to do, to inaugurate new
era in the history and life OF women.
{ wish to give one sex all of the
.-dvaHtages too long monopolized by
the other"
A BOUT nine -tenths OF all colleges
"A in the United States are CO.
educational and last year 4,0cO de-
grees were conferred on women in
American. colleges. During the year
1917-iS, 15l,51S women and 223.S41
men were enrolled in American col
leges. universities and professional
schools. according TO statements
made by the United States bureau of
education, showing the higher pro-
portion of e' women taking college
work
f5gff
there are. those who assert that col
lege training is more harmful than
beneficial 70 the average American
girl. Because of this opposition. d
particular instance of which has come
up comparatively recently, q discus
sion on this subject has been started
among the students of "a local high
schocf' AERglishs class. As q result OF
this discussion, some OF the mem
hers wrote compositions, many Of them
featuring the fact that they thought.
now that women have the right to
Vote--"if they live out of the Dis
trict," as one girl expressed it
there was additional reason why @
women should have the higher edu-
,.ation One of the boys said:
college education is, | think, very
necessary for certain types of wom-
IN: As long as women wish to vote.
ral7e part in the government and in
other ways lead political life, l
think that they must have college eX-
uertences and receive some systematic
form of higher education. The amount
of knowledge received in hlgn school
is entirely insufficient for a woman
who is trying to prepare herself for
a prominent position of trust. II is
also necessary for them to learn TO
associate and get along with other
wcmen in the same way that boys ana
men have to learn to mix with the fel-
lows However, for the class of Wonl-
Thn riSh m nome
college life is in many ways harmful.
They are thrown in with a class with
which they have no sympathy or con-
nections, and this might destroy the
essential home loving instinct which
is so rapidly escaping the women or
the present day"
There is considerable logic shown
in the following excerpt from one or
the girls papers: -
son for men, 20 go to college than
women. II mans college turns out
better fitted and educated men, why
shouldn't q woman's college, which Is
founded on the same principles, DO
Hkewiseg''
The question Of the necessity for a
college. .1iiploma in order to teach is
brought up by another boy in the
class. who says:
What would we do without our
womant school teachers? There are
80 it is|up to the women. We certain
" do not want them to teach without
being educated. So they should be
we'll trained: for this work, with
training that only colleges can give
Another boy says:
EFF the men are educated and the
women are not, the women would be
looked unon as, a lower class, people
OF which nothing much is expected.
Then half. OF onr population would oe
IL, N good Tor
he country, it w ould not be demo
cratic : it would be backward as
China:
A MOTHER sage youth remarks
n that: .The woman of the TWEEN
tieth century needs an education be-
cause she needs to be able to talk
with her husband Gf she marries)
on certain subjects in which, with
out an education, her husband would
be at a loss for any criticism or
any aid"
Many of the boys seem to feel
particularly grave concern over the
Girls who will not choose matrimony
as career. One says: Another
reason why women should have a
college education is because some OF
them (women) are left as old maids.
A college education Woulo help THESE
women who are unable to get mar
lied to hold a good job and help to
raise the standard of the world"
Still another voices this thought
by saying:
There should be colleges main
. tained for women in the United
states All women don't get mar
ried. and that per cent which do not
marry generally have to earn theil
own living. In order to earn a liv-
ing a woman must have proper edu.
cation, and this is only acquired