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A chapter of Radcliffe College.
Arthur Gilman, Regent of Radcliffe College.
About seventeen years ago there were vague reports abroad to the effect that Harvard College was about to admit women to its classes with men. These reports were, of course, based upon unwarranted rumor.
For a long time there had been talk on the subject in the papers and in many private circles previous to the centennial year, but no plan had been formed, either on the part of Harvard College, or of anybody else, by which such an end might be attained.
There were two very positive “parties” engaged in the talk.
One wished for the admission of women at once, as a right, and the other looked with distaste or even with horror upon such a thing.
It may be stated, indeed, as a fact, that it was at the time impossible for a woman to gain admission to one of the college classes.
I was not involved in this discussion, but it became a personal matter with me on account of the interest that my wife and I took in a certain young lady at the moment attending one of the schools for girls in
Cambridge, who seemed to have reached the limit of the advantages that it offered.
While we were considering the wants of this young woman we became more and more thoroughly convinced that it was desirable for her to get instruction from the professors of Harvard College, and we were no
