The Morrill Act of 1862 provided federal lands to initiate a system of public higher education. Since there were few secondary schools in existence on the frontier, there were not enough qualified students of either sex to apply. Only two colleges in Kansas were for women.
By the 1890s schools in Kansas, Oregon and South Dakota had curriculum for females, but not for entering a career - for entering marriage. These were called "domestic economy" departments and were the forerunners of Home Education degrees that our grandmothers might have gotten at a state college. These female students, as late as 1900, received courses in etiquette, conversation, and needlework. While men took 3 year science courses, women took music, painting, drawing and modern language.
The future of a woman at that time was usually a teaching job or marriage. 1/4 as many women as men received post secondary education of any kind - and none of those schools offered a college degree.
We've come along way baby!
Next time...Women of Faith Call for Change
No comments:
Post a Comment
As of May 2011, any "anonymous" comment will not be published. Comments made to this blog are moderated.