The University--the Woman Question

Ik. Editoh : üue, ut least, of your rciwiors lias been inch graüüed by your article. in your ssn of the 14lh. h)t., on the recent acSou oí the Kegsuts of the Universlty on he question of the adinission of fetnales. JndéfltB picasuutrics, there is a very just Misión ou this nction as affectlng the fuDuoofthe University. Whtle duw there nu-y lx; H;.v to feel the justk'C of yoat comuents, hen the downfall of the Univorsity vhich tliis aiul olher acUon of Ihe Board f Regonts too surely proiiKJtes, luis 80 adaiieed tliat it is evident to all, you and ml your thoughts will bc In many minds nd moiilhs. We could wisli that the Hou. Board of legents had been more expHcit, and niet hequcstion before them iairly and squavey. Thoir resolution looks too inucli likc ioing the deed with an BUwlHIngDM&that nade it unpleasant to name it, ilowever, he nicaning and inteutioa ar evident Vnd your correspondent onn not agree with 'OU, that " the Uninersity is not likely to be overiun by women." WWle only here and' tlrere a modest glrl - a true woman - nay be urged by an anibitious parent to laily ñy;e a large body of young men ; the ncreasing rauks of " omen of the age" - girls who are restlcss ander the natural and divine law of womaiihood, who pant or notoriety ; will furnish scores of candidates for the departments. Xtither can we aeree with the acting President, that protection against such lamben as wiltjessentlally alter the positlon and character. ot' the Instituiion may be secured by " keeping up the standard to ts present grade." Passing by the fact, whlch all will appreciate, that the rejection of a lady appli$ant will be rather hazardous - does " the siidard at its present grade," prevent the admlsslon of me:nbers who, wliether qualifled or not, " leave the University without takiug any degree f" The Frcshmaii C'lass oitcrcd in 'C7, 104; as Sophmores theip iMimber was GÖ. Whttt ahall prevent similar dropping off in the fcinale rants? The last Catalogue puts tlic nunber in selcctcd studies, 74. Wc are told Uy authority, that " vromen oftcn want to pursue special courses of study." Wil' Dhelr names theu be wautlng ou this least agreeablc list? Tlicrc is one particular whlch even your prophetlc oi' Irnaglnatlve pen has fatled to put on record, vlz : the natural, even necessary result of iemale students, femalc Professors. Whynotï Indeed as "wecaref ulij, read Mr. Regent Wii.laiid's resolution, wc are quite IncUned to tliink thatit lully cov ers this ground, tiimI that witliout further action the Honorable Board may proceed at their next meeting to clect Mrs. or Mi.ss Somebody, President. " The Board o!' Kc-gents reeognize the right of every resident of Michigan to the enjoyinent oí the privileges aflbrded by the L'nivtrsity." Now if it be a " privilege " to sit on the bench of the class room, why not to sit in the Professor's C'liuir." But whether this be so or not, soouer or later' this will come. Prepare, Kegênts and reverend Professors, to mouut the platform ou Commencement Day with female Professors in your train- perhaps Anna Dickinson, Professor of Moral and lutellectual Philosopliy ; Olive Logaiiy Professor of Rhetorlc ; Mrs. Stanton, Marshall, Kent or Jay Professor of Law ; Kate Field, Assistant Professor of Mathematica Mrs. Dr. Walker, the able meniber of the Medical Faculty. There is one clrcumstance that sliould uot be ovorlookcd In tliis movement. We have seen & circular in íi Detroit paper, calllng a Convention at Battle Creek in favor oí woman sutiVasce, slgned by five Professors of the Unlverslty, and glvlng the Dame oí the Professor of Intcllectual aiul Monil Philüsophy ai one of the speakers. It is clear, theu, that the Iustitution is in uo slight degree commltted to the so-called '■ Voin:ui's Rights Movement." M'o .j-.ust put this with the action of the Kegenis, aul we ask not merely the Board of Kegeuts, nor the Faculty, but the cltizens of Michigan, to wbom tliis Oulverslty belongs ; is this noble Iustitution to be the Beid tbr experlmentlng with these vagaries and tlicories of the day ? Will you suffer tin: lui versity, of wStisli you have been so justly prbud, whlch has made a name for the State nobler even than the strcngth of her soil and the weallh of lier mines; to be seattercd and peeled at tiie whim oí a co tcrie of ultraists and dreamers who have cast off the guidance of reason and religión? We respect, pcrsonally, the Professors who have signed this cali, vï must be told by themselvesbjeforo ive will believe it, that tiicy atíopt as a whole the theories of those in whosc fellowship they have iit tliernselves; but nevertheless we can not retract what has been said, that the University stands to-day committe;l to theories that disgraco civilization. We can only wrlte sadly on this subject. The State Unlverslttes of the west have generally not been, to say the least, vcor successful. Michigan University has been the exception. And now the time of her overthrow approaches. Today she takes her place with the socallcd Colleges Whicb are merely High Schools. We have noticed with pain the decline in the numbers of her students, and the wlthdrawal from their Chaira of meB of jiote in their spec-iality, - but the grand blow has been Btruck In the passage of a resolution that bear, the enrforaement of seveu of her eight Regento.