II. The women’s colleges not included in the list of the fifty-eight most important colleges in the United States given on page [12], but of exceedingly good academic standing as compared with the greater number of the separate colleges for men and the coeducational colleges included in the four hundred and eighty enumerated by the commissioner of education.
Mt. Holyoke college, South Hadley, Massachusetts—Founder, Mary Lyon; seminary opened, 1837; chartered as seminary and college, 1888; seminary department dropped and true college organized, 1893; presidents, two (both women); 37 instructors (7 Ph. D.s.)—all women; 5, apart from laboratory assistants, without first degree; 426 undergrad, s., 3 grad. s., 9 special s., 3 music s.; productive funds, $300,000; a lecture building; a science building; a museum and art gallery; a library; a gymnasium; a rink; an observatory; an infirmary; a plant house; 9 residence halls accommodating 478 students; total cost of buildings, $625,000; vols. in library, 17,700; laboratory equipment, $33,000; acres, 160; music and art depts., technical work in both, amount limited by faculty, may be counted towards bachelor’s degree; tuition fee, $100; lowest charge, tuition, board and residence (beds made, rooms dusted, by students, and in addition one-half hour of domestic work required), $250.
Woman’s college of Baltimore, city of Baltimore, Maryland—Founded and controlled by Methodist Episcopal church; opened, 1888; preparatory department dropped, 1893; presidents, two (men); 21 instructors (10 Ph. D.s.)—11 women, 1 without first degree; 10 men, 1 without first degree; 259 undergrad. s.; 0 grad. s.; 15 special s.; productive funds, $334,994; a lecture building and three houses adapted for lecture purposes; a gymnasium; a biological laboratory; 3 residence halls holding 230; total cost of buildings, $505,703; vols. in library, 7,800; laboratory equipment, $47,000; acres (in city), 7; music and art depts., but technical work in neither counted towards bachelor’s degree; tuition fee, $125; lowest charge, tuition, board and residence (beds made, rooms dusted by students), $375.
Wells college, Aurora, New York—Founders, Henry Wells and Edwin B. Morgan; seminary opened, 1868; chartered as college, 1870; preparatory dept. dropped, 1896; presidents, two (men); 13 instructors (4 Ph. D.s.)—10 women, 3 without first degree; 3 men; 59 undergrad. s.; 0 grad. s.; 27 special s.; 4 music s.; productive funds, $200,000; a main building with lecture rooms and accommodations for 100 students; a science and music building; a president’s house; total cost of buildings, $195,000; vols. in library, 7,300; laboratory equipment, $20,200; acres, 200; music and art depts., technical work in neither counted towards bachelor’s degree; tuition fee, $100; lowest charge, tuition, board and residence (beds made by students), $400.
III. Elmira college, the Randolph-Macon Woman’s college, Rockford college and Mills college are here relegated to a third group because of certain common characteristics. Their endowment is wholly inadequate, averaging considerably less than $50,000 apiece, reaching $100,000 only in the case of the Randolph-Macon Woman’s college. In each of them a disproportionate number of students is studying in the music or art department; special students form too large a proportion of the whole number of students; the number of professors is too small to permit college classes to be conducted by specialists; the college classes are too small; true college training cannot be obtained in very small classes, and moreover, in view of the increasing number of women now going to college, when a college for women does not grow steadily it is reasonable to assume that there must be some good reason for its lack of growth.
Elmira college, situated at Elmira, New York, has, apart from the president, 10 academic instructors (7 women, 2 without first degree; 3 men); 5 teachers of music, 2 of art. There are studying in the college 70 regular college students, 17 specials and 61 special students in music.
The Randolph-Macon Woman’s college, situated at Lynchburg, Virginia, has, apart from the president, 12 academic instructors (2 Ph. D.s.)—7 women, 2 without first degree; 5 men; 9 instructors in music. Of the 226 students,[[24]] 55 are regular college students; 44 registered for degree but spending one-fifth of time in music or preparatory work; 16 special students; 6 students of art; 49 preparatory students; 46 students of music.
Rockford college, Rockford, Illinois—Opened as seminary, 1849; chartered as college, 1892; 13 academic instructors (2 Ph. D.s.)—all women, 3 without first degree; 4 teachers of music, 1 of art; 35 college s.; 7 special s.; 70 s. in music only.
Mills college, California—Opened as seminary, 1871; chartered as college, 1885; 11 instructors (9 women, 3 without first degree; 2 men); 8 teachers of music; 22 college s.; 135 pupils in preparatory department.
In addition to the existing colleges belonging to these groups, a separate college for women, Trinity, meant to be of true college grade, will soon be opened in Washington under the control of the Roman Catholic church.