The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1935-05-23
Educators Meet At
Connecticut College

Giving undergraduates an inn
petus toward active participation
in public affairs was pronounced
an essential part of the college
training of today by a group of
distinguished educators and lead
ers in public life at a Conference
on education for Public Affairs at
Connecticut College recently. Three
speakers at the open meeting this
evening, attacking the problem
from different viewpoints concur
red in the Importance Of stifnulat-
ing interest among college women
in taking an active part In gov
eminent and other activities Of a
public or semi-public nature. Miss
Ruth Taylor, commissioner of
public welfare In Westchestter
county, New York, who talked
from the standpoint of the elected
public servant said, "The task OF
a woman running for office is
much more difficult than that of
a man although there 10 plenty OF
room in government service for
competent women. However, TX
we agree that women should ear
ry their full share Of responsibility
for community living along with
men, the growing Importance Of
women in public affairs becomes
obvious. Few college women care
to approach elective or appointive
Office through the tedious, slow
pathway of party politics. Their
approach, then, is the one OF COM
potency in some special field that
is needed in public service. College
training should give women the
ability to discern facts and to
know how to secure information
and factual material and should
give background or a foundation
for competency in some particular
field Of useful endeavor."
Miss Marguerite Wells, national
president of the League of Women
Voters, declared that it is vital that
the young woman graduating from
college with an interest in commu-
nifty affairs, start where she can
really get a foothold, beginning
where she is, and getting into pol
itics by attacking a small local
problem which she is interested in
solving. She said, wherever they
begin in government, whether To-
cal, state or national, they will
find that It Is of close personal
concern to themselves" she said
that the Acknowledgement of wo-
men had promised great things
but the opportunity for distinter-
ested work in affairs of govern
ment had not as yet been grasped
by women to the extent which 1t
should have been.
Dean Virginia Gildersleeve of
Barnard college said, "Our coun-
try today is in the midst of con-
fusion and controversy, is trying to
make a better life for its citizens.
Our democratic form of govern
rnent IL trying to avoid a dictator
ship. The whole world Is tremb-
ling on the brink Of another war
from which 1t must be saved. The
situation cries out for as many in
telligent citizens as possible to do
their part. We must train our
students to think straight and
think hard. Nothing is more
needed on the part of the elector-
ate than the ability to recognize
facts when they see them. be-
lieve further that 1t IL the part OF
the college to guide its students in
the beginnings of public work. We
should perhaps have a cooperative
bureau for guiding students in vol
unteer public service and closer
cooperation with the League OF
Women Voters and other organ
nations"
An informal discussion was led
by DR.. Luther Gulick, director OF
the institute Of Public Admins
tration in New York. President
Katharine Blunt of Connecticut
college presided.
The regular meeting of Division
81, A. o. H., will meet tomorrow
evening at $500 o'clock at Hiberiar
rrntf