Colleges for women have been quite liberally endowed by high-minded
and generous individuals, and the stability and permanency of these
colleges have thus been secured. Vassar College was incorporated in
1861. Mr. Matthew Vassar, the founder, gave 200 acres of land near
Poughkeepsie, on the Hudson, which with his other gifts aggregated
$788,000. The total productive endowment in 1892 was $1,018,000, and
the value of the grounds, buildings, etc., was $792,080 additional.
Wellesley College was founded by H. F. Durant in 1875, at Wellesley,
near Boston. He gave 400 acres of land and an endowment of more than
one million dollars. Smith College was founded through the beneficence
of Sophia Smith, who gave $400,000. Bryn Mawr, near Philadelphia, was
opened in 1885, through the generosity of J. W. Taylor, M. D., whose
gifts amounted to $1,000,000.
In 1890, there were 179 colleges devoted exclusively to the education
of women, having grounds and buildings valued at $11,559,379, with
scientific apparatus valued at $419,000 more, and the productive
funds aggregated $2,609,661. The total number of students in these
colleges for the same year was 24,851, and taught by 2,299 teachers.
The co-education of the sexes in colleges is also constantly growing
in favor among those colleges which have given it the most thorough
trial. Two hundred and seventy-two colleges in this country, or 65.5
per cent., excluding those devoted exclusively to the education of
women, are open equally to both sexes. The favorable results as to
scholarship, manners and morals of the two sexes have abundantly
confirmed the wisdom of this method. The question of co-education has
its complications, but with proper restrictions these are not serious.
There is no more danger of women developing bold or masculine
qualities of character in a college where co-education exists than in
the high schools, or in social and business life outside of college.
The charm and beauty of a lady are found in the qualities of modesty
and grace. The private life of the ladies attending a college where
co-education exists is in most cases so regulated as to secure such
home care and retirement as will help to preserve the charming
qualities of womanhood. The ladies in these schools gain a certain
poise and independence without boldness, which is of inestimable
advantage. Aside from this they get a knowledge of character and life
that is not likely to be secured in any other way.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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