University of Rochester College for Women - Croceus Yearbook (Rochester, NY)

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TO THE MEMORY OF SUSAN B. ANTHONY AS A TOKEN OF THE LOVE, APPRECIATION AND ORATITUDE OF THE WOMEN OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER THIS BOOK IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED

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, f 555555 Miss Susan B. Anthony's Work in Behalf of Coeducation I Z' . OR fifty years the University of Rochester had been an insti- tution whose sole aim was the education of men. But during that half century a strong sentiment in favor of the higher education of women had been spreading through- out the land. ln the west great state universities were growing up which were planned on a coeducational basisg while in the east the older and more conservative colleges, one after another, were reluctantly opening their doors to women. It was in the early nineties that the question of coeducation first began to be agitated in Rochester. For years, Susan B. Anthony had desired that young women should be allowed an equal share in the educational advantages afforded by this university. And furthermore, as college education for girls became more popular, a feeling grew up among the citizens of Rochester that, with a well-equipped college in their city, they should be able to educate their daughters as well as their sons at home. ln l89l the first conference with regard to the matter was held. The Trustees of the University decided, however, that the scheme was quite impracticable on account of the lack of funds to meet the increased expense which the admission of women would entail. But the matter continued to be agitated, and in l898, the Trustees of the University agreed to make the institution coeducational, provided the women of Rochester would raise flil 00,000 to be added to the endowment of the university, within a year. At the yearis end the stupendous task was far from being accomplished, though considerable progress had been made. Yielding to the pressure of public opinion, the Trustees extended the time for another year, and reduced the sum demanded to 350,000 Miss Anthony, fully occupied with the strenuous duties of her calling, left the actual collection of the funds to others, and was quite appalled to hear, on Friday, September 7, 1900, from the secretary of the fund committee, that there was still lacking 358,000 to complete the required