Women -- Employment -- United States; Women -- Social and moral questions
Cornell University is one of the national colleges founded upon the
land-grant of 1862. The share of New York was nearly a million acres,
and, by act of the Legislature of New York, passed in 1865, the
university was incorporated, and the income from the sale of this land
was given it for its maintenance. There were certain conditions, the
principal one being the donation of $500,000 to the university by Ezra
Cornell. This was made, together with 200 acres of land. In simple and
comprehensive phrase, Mr. Cornell said: “I would found an institution
where any person can find instruction in any study.”
The act of incorporation provides for instruction “in order to promote
the liberal and practical education of the industrial classes in the
several pursuits and professions of life.” Thus thrice bound to the
general service, by employment of the people’s resources, by acceptance
at once of the gift and of the intent of the broad-minded donor, and
again by provision of its own act, it would seem to go without saying
that the State should see to it that there should be no discrimination
against any class.
The university was opened, October, 1868, and, happily, it goes with
saying, that by act of the trustees, passed in April, 1872, “Women are
admitted to the university on the same terms as men, except that they
must be at least seventeen years old.”
On the authority of the Dean of the faculty, Mr. H. S. White, August,
1890: “As to the status of young women at Cornell, they enjoy all the
advantages which are open to young men, including the university
scholarship and fellowships. We have eight fellowships which are open to
graduate students, awarded by vote of the faculty, not only to our own
graduates, but to graduates of other institutions. In 1888–89, three of
these fellowships were secured by young women: one in botany; one in
architecture; and one in mathematics. The present year the Fellows
happen to be all young men; but this is a mere accident, and the
question of sex cannot be said to be considered in the award. There were
established, a few years ago, three Sage scholarships, set apart
exclusively for the young women who attended the university; they were
also eligible for the six university scholarships; so that at times four
or five out of the nine scholarships might be held by young women. These
Sage scholarships have recently been converted into university
scholarships, open to all applicants without distinction of sex. Sage
College was built and endowed by Hon. Henry W. Sage, in 1875, at a cost
of $250,000, and was given to Cornell University as a place of residence
for young women students. The gift had but one condition, that
“instruction shall be afforded to young women by Cornell University, as
broad and thorough as that afforded to young men.””
Up to the present time no professorship or offices of instruction in
this university have been held by women.
SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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