PROGRESS OF HIGH SCHOOLS AND THEIR RELATION TO COEDUCATION.

The most noticeable fact in the recent history of high schools is the increase in their numbers, or, to state it more impressively, in the number of youth brought under their influence." The 6,292 high schools reported in 1902 enrolled 550,611 pupils (226,914 boys, 323,697 girls), and of this number 95 per cent, or a total of 523,344 pupils (215,944 boys, 307,400 girls), were in coeducational schools. In this respect there is no break between the high schools and the lower grade public schools, in which at least 96 per cent of the pupils are enrolled in mixed classes. The few separate high schools for boys and girls are in cities situated for the most part on the eastern border of the country. They form exceptions, however, to the general practice even in their own States, and as a rule are survivals from the period of cautious experiments rather than indexes of public opinion or sentiment.

From the replies to special inquiries respecting the subject issued by the Bureau of Education in 1891 and 1901, it appears that of 628 leading cities of the country 15 only had separate high schools in 1891; in 1901 the number had fallen to 12. The chief cities reporting separate high schools and their actual status in this respect in 1901 were as follows:

A second matter of great significance in our present consideration is the constant increase in the proportion of pupils of public high schools in the college

a Number of secondary students in public and private secondary schools.

The relative increase of public high schools as compared with private schools is emphasized by the expression in ratios. In 1876 the public high schools comprised 23.75 per cent of secondary pupils; in 1882, 30.8 per cent; in 1892, 70.29 per cent; in 1932 their proportion had increased to 84.02 per cent.

For full results of these inquiries see Commissioner's Report for 1901, vol. 2, pp. 1218-1229. The remaining pupils (651) are in a separate high school for boys.

preparatory classes. In 1902 the schools named had a total of 58,691 students preparing for college as against 25,574 in the private high schools and academies. Considering the graduating classes alone the numbers were, respectively, 21,018 and 5,141.

Even in the North Atlantic States the public high schools exceeded the private schools in the number of pupils preparing for college, the totals for each class of schools being, respectively, 22,329 and 12,074. In the western States the public high schools have almost a monopoly of college preparatory work." Throughout this section the public high schools and State universities have been closely affili

a Public high schools-Distribution of secondary students in college preparatory courses in 1902.

Private high schools and academies-Distribution of secondary students in college preparatory courses in 1902.

ated by the accrediting plan; that is, the acceptance of the certificate of an approved high school in lieu of examination for admission to the higher institution. This policy, starting with the University of Michigan in 1870, spread rapidly, and has welded together in a compact system the entire public provision for education in States maintaining a State university. Many private universities and colleges have also adopted the policy, so that every State in the Union is now included in its operations.

The increase of scholastic relations has greatly increased the influence of the high schools upon the universities, and undoubtedly explains in part the rapid spread of coeducation in the higher institutions. Indeed, both on account of the phenomenal increase in the number of high schools, the expansion of their curriculum, and their public support, it is safe to assume that a policy adopted by an overwhelming majority of these schools can not be excluded from the higher institutions, which are so largely recruited from them.

The facts here presented leave no doubt as to the position of our public schools with respect to the coeducation of the sexes. It is the policy generally pursued, heartily indorsed by the great majority of supervising officers, and strongly supported by the people in all sections of the country. If additional proof were needed that parents favor this policy, it would be found in the fact that more than half of the secondary private schools of the country, comprising 43.7 per cent of the total enrollment in this class of school (44,853 pupils in a total of 104,690), are coeducational.

Since the public school is the only school that three-fourths of the people ever attend, the association of the two sexes as there maintained must have a very great influence upon their social and business relations in after years. It explains in a great measure the freedom that women enjoy in this country with respect to the pursuit of careers, and especially the large share which they take in the educational work of the country." Relations which would cause great irritation and annoyance in countries where separate education is the rule, here come about naturally and without friction.

PROGRESS OF COEDUCATION IN COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES.

It should be premised in this consideration that the terms “college” and “university have not in this country the same definite meaning as in Great Britain or continental Europe. In general, however, it may be said that a university in the United States includes a college department, in which students complete a course of study leading to the bachelor's degree. So far the universities are like the colleges. But, in addition, a university generally includes also a department of post-graduate work and professional schools. Our present consideration relates in particular to colleges and college departments of universities, which for convenience may be designated simply as colleges.

The increase in the number of coeducational colleges since 1870 may be taken as a sign of the progress in this country in respect to the higher education of women, as the colleges exclusively for women-that is, establishments having the same

a In the public schools (all grades included) 72 per cent of the teachers are women. Their relation to the public schools does not stop here. They participate as school officials and also, through the exercise of the ballot, in the local conduct of school affairs.

*

The number of women serving as district school officers appears to be comparatively large, but there are no complete statistics on this point. The number of women serving as county school superintendents in States having this office is 324.

As a rule women are eligible to the school boards of northern and western cities, and 11 women hold the position of city school superintendent.

In two States, Colorado and Idaho, women are at the head of the public school system, holding the position of State superintendent.

In 27 States and 2 Territories women have the right to vote for school officers.

standards as the colleges for men-were, with few exceptions, opened just about the year mentioned. In that year the United States Bureau of Education began the work of collecting statistics from the entire country, and by 1873 the Annual Report had become quite complete for all sections. Particulars were given in that report of 97 coeducational colleges having 2,147 women in their college departments. In 1880 more than half the colleges of the country, 51.3 per cent (omitting in this consideration colleges exclusively for women and land-grant colleges not departments of universities), reported coeducation either in the preparatory departments or in both preparatory and collegiate departments. Considering the latter only, there were 128 universities and colleges, or 35.7 per cent of the total number reported, which admitted women to the college classes. The 2,323 women regularly matriculated in these institutions formed 7.2 per cent of the total number of their undergraduates. In the decade 1880 to 1890 the number of coeducational colleges had increased to 65.6 per cent of the total number and the proportion of women matriculated to 19.5 per cent of the total number of college students. In 1900 the proportion of coeducational colleges had reached 71.6 per cent, and the proportion of women in their collegiate departments 24.7 per cent of the total registration. Many of these institutions are small denominational colleges, drawing their patronage chiefly from members of their respective communions and surrounding their students with the influences of cultured Christian homes. Like the high schools of the country, they are in close sympathy with the people and reflect in a very practical manner the prevalent ideals, moral and social, of their respective communities. These colleges are, without exception, affiliated with Protestant denominations, the corresponding Roman Catholic colleges being always exclusively for boys. While colleges of the class referred to represent a very important part of the educational provision of the country and have had no small influence in fostering coeducation as a policy, they are of less importance as an index of its extension than larger institutions, and especially those that may justly claim university rank. But with all allowances that must be made for differences in the resources and standards of the institutions classed together as universities and colleges, comparison of the conditions in 1873 and in 1900 are extremely suggestive. The following tabulation shows, for the dates named, the number and geographical distribution of the coeducational institutions and the number of women students in their college departments:"

Geographical divisions.

lege departments

univer-
sities.

students

Numberof Number of Numberof Number of Number of Number of
coeduca- ! women
tional col-¦ students
leges and in the col-
univer-
sities.

coeduca- Women coeduca- Women
tional col- students tional col-
leges and in the colleges and
lege de-
partments!

in the col

lege departments.

univer-
sities.

Per cent. Per cent. Percent.

Ratio of coeducational colleges and universities to total number for men and for both sexes

Ratio of women students (undergraduates) to total number of undergraduates in the total institutions above specified..

For full statistics of universities and colleges see Report of Commissioner for 1902, vol. 2, pp. 1386-1497.

A clearer idea of the progress of higher education for women will be gained by considering in particular the number of leading institutions to which they are admitted.

The statistics for 1873 included 7 State universities (coeducational), of which 3 only had, at that date, above 100 students each. These were as follows:

Cornell University appears in the same table with 451 students, of whom 22

were women.

In the number of coeducational institutions reporting to the Bureau of Education in 1891-2 there were included 25 State universities and 12 private foundations of high order.

Since that time there have been added to the list 6 State universities, 3 Territorial universities, and 6 private institutions of university rank. Several colleges have also adopted coeducation during the last decade which in respect to scholastic standards and equipments might well be classed with some of the State institutions included above, but for obvious reasons the latter must exert an influence in the development of their States beyond what is possible for any local college.

The list of State, Territorial, and private institutions referred to comprises the following:

State and Territorial universities: Alabama (coeducation, 1893), Arizona (Territorial, opened 1891), Arkansas (changed to State university 1899), California, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maine (changed to State university 1897), Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana (opened 1895), Nebraska, Nevada New Mexico (Territorial, opened 1892), North Carolina (adopted coeducation 1896), North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma (Territorial, opened 1892), Oregon, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming.

Private universities: Boston University, Tufts College (with professional departments), Chicago (1892), North Western (Evanston), Columbian (Washington, D. C.), Syracuse, Cornell, De Pauw, Washington University (St. Louis), Leland Stanford Junior (opened 1891), University of Pennsylvania, Rochester (1900), Vanderbilt.

Graduate departments or professional schools only: Brown, Clark (women admitted 1900), Yale, Columbia (graduate department 1900), Johns Hopkins (medical school 1893).

Of the institutions that have been added to the above list since 1890, as indicated by the parenthetical explanations, 2 have simply been converted into State universities and remain coeducational, as they were previously; 6 have been established during the decade, and 6 have adopted coeducation either in the undergraduate or some graduate department. It will be seen that while Vanderbilt University and the universities of Mississippi, Tennessee, and Texas were the only southern institutions of high repute or large possibilities included in the list published in 1892, 2 southern universities-namely, University of Alabama and University of North Carolina-have since adopted the policy.

The institutions above enumerated, exclusive of the four which admit women to graduate departments only, enroll 36.7 per cent of all undergraduate students in colleges that are open to men or to both men and women, and 49.5 per cent of all the women in the mixed colleges. Of the 18 universities in the country which report each more than 900 undergraduate students, 12 are included in the above list; and of the 15 institutions having each over $2,000,000 productive funds, 7 are included in the above list. These statements will suffice to show that coed