The influences of women’s presence on university campuses
Even though American women primarily entered higher education in the mid-nineteenth century, the influence of women’s presence on university campuses was not evident until the progressive era from 1890 to 1920. The women of that era were the first to impact not only the institutions they attended but all the course of education history in general. They are the women that demonstrated the relationship that exists between gender and higher education. Also, some of the crucial issues that are focused on in this case are access to education and attendance, the dynamics of campus life and the contribution made by women in and outside the classroom. The essay seeks to analyze how women generally impacted the higher education sector in the 19th century and progressive era and their lasting impact on the higher education sector.
When women initially tried to open the doors to higher education at the end of the 19th century, they were met with a lot of resistance because they were asking to enter into an institution of male prestige and privilege. For years, higher education had been one of the institutions that men had used to demonstrate their power and influence in society. The higher education institution had been for years marked by masculine traditions, and those against the move by the women believed that the family and community, in general, would be disrupted. These opponents thought that the significant duty of women is to take care of their households. However, some proponents believed that education would turn women into better wives, mothers and ultimately societal housekeepers.
Furthermore, as the number of women in higher education institutions increased, the male students and faculty complained that these women were feminizing the liberal arts curriculum and in the process, driving the men away. Other men even complained that the women were being masculinized since close to a half of the first generation of college women decided not to marry, remain childless or marry let. Further, the female high school graduates were slowly outnumbering the male ones, and this raised concern among the males who were determined to protect the dominance of the male species. The threat to male dominance drew a lot of backlashes, and some higher college institutions were forced to create courses or colleges for only women. Some even created distinct campuses for women and developed quotas aimed at restricting the admission of women into higher learning institutions.
Higher education of women began with the Oberlin College story. The college was established in 1833 in Ohio, and it became the first college in the United States to give degrees to both men and women. The mission of the college was to train teachers and preachers to inspire the Second Awakening in what was then the American West. The college became a model for coeducation since t did admit not only women but also accepted students of colour. The progressive stance on women established Oberlin College as an abnormality amongst the higher education institution. However, the success of the college helped the proponents of women higher education to push for the enrollment of women in higher education institutions.
Additionally, women took advantage of the time when the American political and social forces were changing from a leading corporate power base saturated by Victorian values to greater democratization to shape their experiences in the education sector. The women decided to pursue higher education with or without the support of the men. The lack of support was because the societal norms could not allow men to see women as intellectual equals and also objects of romance. The message that the men passed across is that the women had to choose between their feminism and intellect. To them, if the women decided to pursue their education, they were leaving their feminism behind. But, despite the obstacles that the women faced, they continuously adjusted their goals and made sure that they made progress when it comes to looking for intellect. These ambitious women who had grown in conservative and safe environments steadily increased their leadership opportunities and organizational representation.
Similarly, the history of women and higher education varies depending on institutions ad in some instances regions. Also, the law played a significant role in making sure that women got education during the progressive era. For instance, the Morrill Acts of 1862 and 1890 offered land grants to state colleges and universities, but it was a must for these colleges to have agricultural and mechanical arts curriculum. The acts generated a lot of new interest in public higher education and colleges and universities sought to capitalize on the free land. The acts were also meant for democratizing the higher education sector by making it affordable to students who could previously not afford it. Initially, Initially, the act seemed to ignore women because of its emphasis on industrial courses. Still, because of the need to offer equal opportunity to all the taxpayers, the land-grant colleges opened their admissions to women. Also, to avoid the costly funding of colleges meant for women and those meant for men, the act encouraged the consolidation of these colleges. Thus, women and men began to learn on the same campuses and even took similar subjects.
In conclusion, the focus of the progressive era was generally about the rights of all persons that included women, minorities and other individuals that felt that the society didn’t give them the privileges and protections they deserve. During this era, the persons who considered being weaker in the community were against the treatment they had received from those who were either in political or corporate power, and that is why the progressive era has had a significant impact in our current lives. In this case, the effect has been on women accessing higher education since when women were allowed to access higher education, it showed that their opportunities expanded and they had more accomplishments. Until the mid-19th century, women and girls had limited involvement in schooling, and this was primarily because of the belief that advanced education would be of little or no use to these women. But in the progressive era, it was determined that education was one of the best influences on women, and some of the reformers forced on creating colleges that were primarily for teaching women. It was also determined that women not only perform well in arts but also in the sciences. Finally, the resilience of women to get an education during the late 19th century and the progressive era is the foundation of feminism today. Without the determination of those women and those who supported them, colleges like Harvard would still be offering science subjects to only males.