Year: 1870

President III. NJ. Pierce's Address TO the Grad


uutinG Glass Of 1S7O-fhe Endowment I'm


New York OF u University for Women For-


chilly Urged.


The Fourth Avenue Presbyterian church was
crowded to excess last evening by the many friends
of the Rutgers Female College to listen to an ad-
dress delivered by President II. NJ. Pierce to the
graduating class OF 1870. The occasion was an In
terestng one the graduates had the honor Of re.
ceivng the first full college diploma with Its cores
ponding literary degree, that has ever been be.
slowed upon women in this city. The
address was eminently fitting and con-
tanned much worthy Of consideration, not
only OF those to whom 1t was particularly
delivered and thus sent into the world to begin
their life work, but of the friends Of female educa.
ton generally, as 1t was rightfuly claimed "that
Christian duty, the welfare OF the community the
honor Of New York-which in this respect should
SGT an example TO the whole country-requre that
there should be Immediately endowed in New York
university for women, commensurate In all its ap.
pointments with the rank Of this city as the future
metropolis or the wOrd.n


After the usual preliminary exercises OF singing
ana prayer President Pierce said that his address
must be more general than individual, the condi.
ton OF Rutgers College and OF the education OF
women In this city called upon him to dwell upon
subject Chiefly Of interest TO the graduates as 1t con-
cerned the Well being and happiness OF their sex.
Continuing, he held that the equality OF all people
before God is taught I'm the Scriptures and from th Is
Logically follows, with the sanction OF the same
divine oraces the great principle Of the equality of
al people before the law. TIE relation between re-
iigon and education Is that Of parent and child.
wrong, then, IN a matter Of such great i'm
portance as the education OF one-half Of
the whole people may wen claim the ear
therefore IL was entirely appropriate to argue the
following propOsition:-That while the State in
men and the community, in initiating in this the ex-
ample OF the State, have done well; yet insomuch
as both have failed to do equally FOR women this
less complete fudlment Of public duty is not only
great wrong to part OF the community, but great
harm to the WHOLE as 1t directly fosters an inequality
which is repugnant to Christianity and to the best
interests OF society.


This was argued with great ability and in doing
SO 1t was shown how unequally women have been
In Je matter OF education, by contrasting the prOvt-
sion made In this State for the culture of men excu.
slvely. In word the leading ideas advanced tn
the address were:-Woman has a right TO an educa-
ton equal to that OF man; she has never had this
right: the evils OF Withholding 1t are great; the duty
OF atoning for the wrong and repairing the injury
should be immediate and liberal


la concluding his address, listened to with pro.
ionnd attention, President Pierce sad:--Young
ladies of the graduating class TO my declaration
TINS evening that woman Is intellectually as well
fitted as man to pursue as high course Of nstruc-
tion as Is prescribed In colleges for men, you
add special emphasis. Entitled as you were
year ago to receive the diploma that the trustees
OF this institution had previously awarded to the
members Of thirty graduating classes In as many
years you preferred, and have successfully pursued,
ING auuitiona years STUDY which the new curricu.
lum required as necessary to full college diploma.
In sending you forth from an institution with which
We hope you will be able to associate only pleasant
recollections Of profitable labor, social enoyments
and lasting friendships, we are confident In
the belief that the literary work you have here
begun viii prove to be q life work. With
all your natural and acquired force OF charac-
ter, resist those appeals that viii beset you
on every hand TO leave the severer though more god
like, path on which you have thus far j0arneyed so
c0urageously, for the easier and travelled ave-
nues OF pleasure and indulgence. You have
1t IN your power to confirm all that / have
said or wolnan'S capacities and capabilities,
when properly developed and trained. Ever
remember that before allowing you to drop from
ture turned your special attention to the sublime
truths Of that book OF D0oks the study OF which must
never cease, and to which both teacher and pupil
must ever resort for those higher teachings which
alone have power through Divine grace 10 prepare
you lOr the life here and the Nle.evel lastng.